Pedestrian mobility citizen science complements expert mapping for enhancing inclusive neighborhood placemaking

TL;DR

This study demonstrates how combining expert mapping with citizen science through pedestrian mobility data collection reveals overlooked social spaces, enriching urban diagnostics for inclusive neighborhood placemaking.

Contribution

It introduces a hybrid approach that integrates citizen science with expert mapping to identify social potential in public spaces, enhancing urban planning strategies.

Findings

44% of social actions occurred outside expert-defined areas

Seven distinct clusters of social activity identified through geo-located data

Citizen science enriches urban diagnostics by revealing overlooked spaces

Abstract

Cities are complex systems that demand integrated approaches, with increasing attention focused on the neighborhood level. This study examines the interplay between expert-based mapping and citizen science in the Primer de Maig neighborhood of Granollers, Catalonia, Spain--an area marked by poor-quality public spaces and long-standing socio-economic challenges. Seventy-two residents were organized into 19 groups to record their pedestrian mobility while engaging in protocolized playful social actions. Their GPS identified opportunity units for meaningful public space activation. Although 56% of observed actions occurred within expert-defined units, the remaining 44% took place elsewhere. Clustering analysis of geo-located action stops revealed seven distinct clusters, highlighting overlooked areas with significant social potential. These findings underscore the complementarity of top-down and bottom-up approaches, demonstrating how citizen science and community science approaches enriches urban diagnostics by integrating subjective, community-based perspectives in public space placemaking and informing inclusive, adaptive sustainable urban transformation strategies.