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Flying the OPENspace kite on the West Highland Way (photograph by David McCracken)
"Flying the OPENspace kite on the W. Highland Way (photograph by David McCracken)"

Welcome to OPENspace:

OPENspace research centre focuses on inclusive access to outdoor environments – our work covers all types of landscape, in urban or countryside contexts, the benefits it can offer and the barriers to access.

Good design for inclusive access is central to a number of policy areas: health and wellbeing; social inclusion; tourism; countryside access; urban renaissance and sustainability; environmental justice; safety and crime; and the implementation of Disability Discrimination Act and Race Relations legislation.

Our work is cross-cutting, drawing on multidisciplinary expertise to explore how public open space, urban parks and squares, green spaces and rural areas can contribute to quality of life. Background information ...

Cost Action E33 - Research Project

Cost action E33 (Forest Recreation and Nature Tourism)

Latest News:

The final Cost Action E33 conference was held on 28-31 May in Hameenlinna,Finland

News & events

April 2010 - OPENspace announces the launch of its new book:

Innovative Approaches to Research Excellence in Landscape and Health Innovative Approaches to Research Excellence in Landscape and Health

Open Space: People Space 2

This book addresses the growing interest in salutogenic environments - landscapes that support healthy lifestyles and promote well-being - and the need for innovative methods to research them read more

Royal Society of Edinburgh Visiting Research Fellowship Award.

Penny Travlou has been awarded a Visiting Research Fellowship in Arts, Humanities and Societies by the Royal Society of Edinburgh/Caledonian Research Foundation.
This prestigious funding scheme supports research in Scotland which aims to establish a two-way flow of scholars between Scotland and Europe.

Open Space People Space Book. Landscape Institute Award 2008

OPENspace has received a highly commended award in the Landscape Institute Awards
more about our book

Ongoing Project

The Contribution of Green and Open Space in Public Health and Wellbeing

Site Finder: Assessing the countryside visitor's wayfinding experience.

OPENspace Research Centre is pleased to announce the publication of the Site Finder Toolkit. Site Finder Toolkit - Publication Cover

previous news & events

 

Conference 2007

Open Space : People Space

Innovative Approaches to Research Excellence in Landscape and Health.


"For three days in late September, researchers and professionals from landscape architecture, urban design, public health and environmental psychology were brought together in Edinburgh to debate the links between landscape and health."

Conference searchable database
Search database for conference papers

download conference report
(RTF Doc file, 999KB)

download conference proceedings
(PDF file, 1.25mb)

Our Book

(PDF document, 109 KB)
Open Space: People Space (final report)