Urban Design

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http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/106

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Browsing Urban Design by Subject "Accessibility"

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    Exploring the Therapeutic Role of Urban Parks on Mental and Physical Health of City Residents: The Case of Addis Ababa
    (Addis Ababa University, 2026-02-01) Shimengus Blen ; Wondwossen Debebe
    Rapid urbanization in Addis Ababa has led to increased environmental problems, making the issue of urban parks as a tool for mental and physical health support regains the lead on the agenda. This paper investigates the perceptions of the residents of Addis Ababa on the mental and physical health benefits of selected urban parks in Addis Ababa and the extent to which these parks satisfy therapeutic urbanism principles. A concurrent triangulation mixed-methods design was employed, combining a cross sectional survey that was conducted among 372 park users, and data were collected through a five-point Likert scale. This was further supported by an observational assessment based on the standards of therapeutic urbanism through domains of accessibility, amenities, design quality, place making, and sustainability. Semi structured key informant interviews with relevant authorities was conducted. Survey respondents were selected through on-site convenience sampling with proportional allocation across eight selected urban parks in Addis Ababa, representing diverse park typologies. Quantitative analysis using weighted mean analysis showed that stress reduction was the factor that gained the highest perception score (M = 4.62), which was then followed by the overall improvement of mental well-being (M = 4.26), thus indicating very positive psychological outcomes. Over 96% of the respondents were in agreement that visits to the park help in reducing stress. The observational study results showed differences in therapeutic design compliance among the parks, with the better performing parks having stronger place-making and sensory design elements. The results revealed that urban parks in Addis Ababa are mainly operating as places of psychological restoration and function as informal restorative infrastructure. Thus, they support Stress Reduction Theory and Attention Restoration Theory, but they require stronger integration of therapeutic design standards and equitable access strategies to enhance mental-health outcomes citywide. The research also demonstrated that the principle of therapeutic design should be involved in urban planning if one wants to make the most of the mental health benefits obtained from rapidly urbanizing cities.
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    Human-Centric Urban Mobility Solutions for High-Density Regional Transportation Hub: The Case of Lamberet Long-Distance Bus Station and Its Neighbourhood
    (Addis Ababa University, 2025-12-01) Feben Ramish; Birhanu Girma
    This master thesis is about human, centered urban mobility challenges at Lamberet Transport Hub, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Lamberet is a hub regional bus terminal serving northern Ethiopia. The research delves into aspects of how the bus station influences the efficiency, accessibility, safety, and daily experiences of different stakeholders such as commuters, drivers, vendors, and residents of the nearby areas. The study points to main issues such as a lack of proper infrastructure, accessibility challenges, absence of safety features, poor environmental management, and the non, implementation of urban planning and zoning regulations. The movement of pedestrians around the place is a major struggle due to a lack of sidewalks, ramps, crosswalks, adequate lighting, and signage. Moreover, uncontrolled street vendors, and a mixture of pedestrian and vehicle movement have led to congestion and safety issues. Among the vulnerable, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and children are the most impacted. Field observations, infrastructure inspections, pedestrian movement studies, land, use and mobility, pattern mapping, and ethnographic interviews with local inhabitants and commuters formed the study's core methodology. Besides, transport hub, related policies and regulations were also analyzed to pinpoint discrepancies between standards and field realities. The study uncovers that, while the terminal is an engine of the local economy, its social and environmental costs overshadow the benefits, as evidenced by overcrowding, noise pollution, inadequate waste management, and inefficient spatial arrangement. The terminal is not yet integrated with world, class standards in accessibility, inclusive mobility, and community participation. The study finds that by redesigning the Lamberet Transport Hub, the efficiency of the system as well as the experience of the users can be improved by clearly defining pedestrian, vehicular, and vendor areas; strictly applying existing regulations; upgrading accessibility infrastructure; making safety measures more effective; and involving the community. The use of human, centered and universal design approaches can help the hub to become a regional transport facility that is more inclusive, safe, and environmentally friendly.