Study on the Social Equity Impact Path of Community Life Circle Green Space from the Perspective of Configuration

This study proposed a novel model to effectively answer the effect of
the complex interactions among the elements on the social equity of
green spaces in community life circles. Accordingly, it selected the
Shangcheng District of Hangzhou as the case study. First, it
employed the Gaussian-based 2-step floating catchment area
(2SFCA) method combined with the OD cost matrix to calculate the
accessibility of green park space within the 15-min life circle of each
community. Second, the Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient were
employed to measure the social equity of green park space. Finally,
the qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) deduction and inference
led to the grouping path of high green space accessibility. Results
demonstrate that (1) the accessibility of parks in the Shangcheng
District shows a spatial layout with high values in the southwest and
north and low values in the central and east, and the Gini coefficient
of park accessibility distribution is 0.94, which is a serious inequity.
(2) Road network density, population density, number of park
entrances, park area, number of green park spaces, and park green
space shape index cannot individually constitute the necessary
conditions for high green space accessibility. (3) Five configurations
reflect the multiple ways of achieving high green space accessibility
in different areas. Policymakers can compare the cases with similar
conditions among the five configurations according to the current
characteristics of the regions and achieve high green space
accessibility with minimum cost, thus improving overall social
equity.