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

The social equity of green space is influenced by multiple elements. 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.