Abstract

The first lockdown in spring 2020 impacted greatly on Austrians’ daily lives and the general well-being, especially on urban dwellers. The country’s government forbade people to use public spaces, such as city squares or parks. Media were quick to pick up on the subject, which sparked debate on the importance and function of public green recreational spaces in national newspapers. This article maps and reflects on print news coverage of the role and relevance of urban open and green spaces during the first lockdown period in Austria in early spring 2020.

The qualitative analysis of reports published in Austria’s leading newspapers showed that two topics were repeatedly covered: (i) the impact of being forced to live in a confined space on the well-being of urban dwellers after parks and public areas were closed; and (ii) functions of open spaces and the relevance of streetscapes in dense urban areas where parks are scarce. The results reveal the importance of public and green spaces for people’s physical and mental health, especially in challenging situations, such as lockdowns.

Therefore, urban green spaces ought to be considered as one sector of the country’s critical infrastructure. Considering the way public spaces were dealt with during lockdown, the necessity for an in-depth discussion on and rethink of present urban planning, housing, retrofitting, and mobility practice becomes evident.

摘要

2020年春季的首次封锁对奥地利人的日常生活和总体福祉，特别是对城市居民的影响极大。该国政府禁止人们使用公共场所，例如城市广场或公园。媒体很快就对此话题采取了行动，这引发了人们对国家报纸上公共绿色休闲空间的重要性和功能的争论。本文绘制并反映了印刷新闻报道，报道了2020年初的奥地利第一个禁闭期期间城市开放和绿色空间的作用和相关性。

对奥地利主要报纸上发表的报告进行的定性分析表明，反复涉及两个主题：（i）在公园和公共区域关闭后，被迫生活在密闭空间中对城市居民的生活产生了影响；（ii）在公园稀少的人口稠密的城市地区，开放空间的功能以及街景的相关性。结果揭示了公共空间和绿色空间对人们的身心健康的重要性，尤其是在诸如封锁之类的挑战性环境中。

因此，应将城市绿地视为该国重要基础设施的一个部门。考虑到锁定期间处理公共空间的方式，对当前的城市规划，住房，改造和移动性实践进行深入讨论和重新思考的必要性变得显而易见。