**4.3 Green spaces vs. users' age groups**

Except in the Lindenplatz subsite, young children and adults are the predominant users of green spaces. When considering Zürich's population by age5 , it is obvious that children younger than 10 enjoyed using the green spaces in all subsites. The proportions of other age groups complied with the population structure of Canton Zürich and waved slightly in a particular range (**Figure 13**).

The observed age groups and their distribution demonstrate two exceptional phenomena: the adults in Lindenplatz and the young adults in Süsslerenanlage. Lindenplatz and its commercial role in the region attract many adults, while Süsslerenanlage might be the only option for young adults to gather with drink and

#### **Figure 13.**

*Proportions of the observed age groups in the four subsites.*

<sup>5</sup> Zürich population by age referred to the website City Population: https://www.citypopulation.de/en/ switzerland/admin/01\_\_zürich/.The information was concluded from the open-source data of Canton Zürich (https://www.zh.ch/de.html).

*Urban Greenery as a Tool to Enhance Social Integration? A Case Study of Altstetten-Albisrieden... DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109736*

music in the neighbourhood. In addition, relatively fewer senior citizens appeared in the Süsslerenanlage. As a matter of fact, many senior citizens stayed on their balconies casually and enjoyed the green space visually due to the interweaving of the residential buildings into the public green spaces.

#### **4.4 Green space structure vs. social diversity**

The interweaving between private spaces and the public green spaces in Süsslerenanlage held back the publicity and the space-use diversity. The obvious evidence is the acquaintance among most space users. Strange sounds or foreign behaviours immediately drew attention from the balconies and windows facing the green spaces.

On contrary, Bachwiesenpark has unequivocal boundaries between adjacent properties while incredibly accepting cultural diversity. Some very good evidence is that the research team heard more than 10 foreign languages during the observations. This number was much higher than those in the other subsites. Also, some minority groups travelled far away to use the green spaces there. However, it must be considered that Freilager was a significant residential redevelopment project in Zürich in the last decade, and its residents are relatively younger and more international.

The diversity of Bachwiesen was also reflected in space use activities. As one of the largest green areas in the subsite, Bachwiesenpark comprises six parts with multiple themes, such as open lawns, playgrounds, a bird park, a community zoo, and a community club, connected by paths, bushes, and creeks. The community open space in the Freilager development complements Bachwiesenpark and accommodates other activities such as cycling, riding scooters, and playing tennis. Such a combination of green and grey spaces enables almost all outdoor activities and fulfils a wide range of visitor needs.

In contrast to Bachwiesen, Grünau's green spaces are equipped with four playgrounds far apart. These provisions neither attracted more children nor helped to distribute users equally; instead, one playground was always full of people, while the other three were seldom used. This phenomenon might be taken to suggest that it is unnecessary to offer facilities with similar functions in one public green space. Further study is needed to understand whether other factors shape such situations.
