Sense of belonging and attachment in urban green spaces: A qualitative study of older adults in Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

This study evaluates the place attachments of older adults in Hasht Behesht Park, Isfahan, using a qualitative approach and Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 19 participants aged 65–93. The research reveals that place attachment is a multifaceted phenomenon encompassing place identity, place dependence, nature bonding, and social bonding. Findings show that attachment is shaped not simply by duration of residence or physical access but also by embodied routines, sensory familiarity, and intergenerational memory embedded in the park’s evolving landscape. Ancient trees and heritage elements emerge as emotional and cultural anchors, fostering a sense of belonging, sustaining intergenerational memory, and enabling social connection—including with “familiar strangers.” Notably, social bonding and the need for solitude coexist, particularly within gendered and culturally specific dynamics. The interplay between natural and social bonds is especially significant in shaping place attachment, as older adults tend to form stronger attachments to places that better meet their diverse needs. Challenges such as restricted access, poor maintenance, noise, and overcrowding can disrupt these attachments. This article contributes by revealing how gendered solitude, intergenerational memory, and emotional infrastructures—such as ancient trees, heritage elements, and interactions with “familiar strangers”—serve as affective anchors that shape place attachment among older adults. It reframes urban green spaces as emotionally and socially embedded infrastructures, shaped by vernacular ethics of care and culturally specific dynamics, thereby challenging functionalist, Global North-centric models of age-friendly urban design.