Dealing with different nature-society constellations in the co-design of urban green infrastructure

The transformation of river landscapes due to urbanization can have detrimental impact on river ecosystems and social well-being. These impacts are often the result of a principal focus on housing and transportation services at the cost of social-ecological well-being. Nature-based solutions (NBS) in urban areas, such as green infrastructures, are intended to reconcile ecological and social well-being needs. This contribution presents an inter- and transdisciplinary approach to planning and design of multi-functional green infrastructures at the neighborhood level in Costa Rica. Based on a participatory co-design with local residents in the municipality of Flores three axis of green infrastructures – (1) at the street level, (2) at decentralized places in the neighborhood, and (3) along an urban stream – are developed and implemented in order to achieve a high degree of multi-functionality in improving ecology and social well-being. These three axis of green infrastructures represent different degrees and forms of interactions along a continuum of nature-society relations. The participatory design and implementation process reveals important insights regarding how multi-functionality of NBS can successfully be identified and spatially designed at the local level.