ABSTRACT
Spatial enclosure is the ratio of the average height of the buildings adjacent
to the park to the park’s width. Our study suggests that outdoor spaces with
greater ratios of enclosure are often best when used more intensively and flexi-
bly, in terms of the numbers and types of activities and visitors they can accom-
modate. Buildings surrounding parks provide a sense of shelter and comfort,
but urban spaces located in dense urban cores must be able to handle intensive
use and a variety of passive and active recreational activities. Minimum effec-
tive enclosure appears to be about 1:6, while maximum effective enclosure is
about 3:1.
