According to the European Community, cities such as Málaga, Logroño, Bilbao, and Ávila are the municipalities that have invested the most in enhancing the accessibility of their cities. They have been honoured with distinctions in the Access City Awards granted by the European Commission.
Ávila won the inaugural edition of these awards in 2011; this city exemplifies how even those constrained by their historical heritage can adapt to address the mobility needs of individuals.
The issue of accessibility represents a significant challenge for all metropolises
According to estimates provided by the World Health Organization, approximately 16% of the global population faces some form of substantial disability, a figure that equates to around 1.3 billion people.
However, it is not only people with disabilities who make up these groups requiring attention. Elderly individuals also present specific needs and face obstacles in accessing various urban services. Demographic projections towards an ageing population estimate that by the year 2050, they will represent 22% of the global total, according to figures provided by the WHO.
Children, parents with prams, and individuals with temporary mobility limitations are also groups whose needs are crucial for advancing towards accessible cities.
Cities represent the stage where the future of humanity will be shaped.
The UN estimates that by the year 2050, 68% of the global population will reside in urban environments. Hence, it is of paramount importance for cities to modernise their accessibility standards to avoid becoming inhospitable places.
Expansion of Green Spaces in Accessible Cities
In many cities, especially in densely populated areas, the lack of green spaces is a problem.
Vertical gardens fit significantly into the context of making cities more accessible and friendly for diverse groups of people.
Social Inclusion: Green spaces, such as vertical gardens, can become places for gathering and community activities, promoting interaction among different groups of people and fostering social inclusion.
Ecosystem Diversity: Vertical gardens can host a wide variety of plants, creating diverse micro-ecosystems, enhancing biodiversity, and contributing to environmental education.
Urban Heat Reduction: Vegetation in vertical gardens can contribute to reducing temperatures in urban areas, helping to minimize the urban heat island effect. This is especially valuable for elderly individuals and other groups sensitive to high temperatures.
In Urban Therapy, we specialize in integrating urban nature into your projects. We develop projects with high-performance technical construction systems for state-of-the-art green facades.
We offer you advice during the design of your green wall project, to incorporate nature-based solutions with high technical performance in order to obtain the best long-term results. we talk?