Objective The purpose of this research is to address the evolving demands for protective green spaces in the context of rapid urbanization and public safety. By analyzing the relationship between pandemics, societal organizational forms, and the response of the public health industry and landscape architecture discipline to risks, the research aims to determine how the functions and utility of protective green spaces can be fully utilized in response to public health emergencies. The research is driven by the observation of shortcomings in the protective and disaster-preventive functions of green spaces during public health emergencies, prompting a reevaluation of the role and necessity of these spaces in modern urban settings. The core research question is: How can the functions and utility of protective green spaces be fully utilized in response to public health emergencies?

Methods The research employs a multi-faceted approach to analyze the underlying reasons for the inadequate attention to protective green spaces in academia and practice. This approach includes four parts. 1) Risk response evaluation: Assess the ability of protective green spaces to respond to risks, including assessing their resilience levels and formulating pre-planned responses to public health events. This involves creating metrics for resilience and adaptability to ensure that green spaces can provide critical services during emergencies. 2) Functional enrichment and expansion: Expand the service function elements of green spaces to cover both regular and emergency scenarios. This includes integrating multifunctional services that can be adapted for various uses depending on the situation, thereby enhancing the overall utility of green spaces. 3) Scenario predictions: Propose scenario predictions for both regular and emergency periods to develop suitable planning and compilation methods for protective systems within China’s green space systems. This involves creating detailed models and simulations to predict the performance of green spaces under different conditions and ensure that they can meet the needs of people during both regular and emergency periods. 4) Technical strategy summarization: Summarize technical strategies for optimizing the utility of protective green spaces. This includes best practices and guidelines for designing, implementing, and maintaining green spaces that are resilient and effective in mitigating public health risks.

Results The research has contributed to the construction of planning and strategic frameworks for protective green spaces that are suitable for new urban developments and capable of addressing public safety emergencies. These frameworks are designed to maximize the diverse functions of green space systems, thus ensuring that they can provide essential services in both regular and emergency situations. Key outcomes include three parts. 1) Resilient green space designs: Develop green space designs that prioritize resilience and adaptability, and ensure that areas adopting such designs can quickly respond to and recover from public health emergencies. 2) Functional integration: Successfully integrate regular and emergency functions within green spaces, making them versatile assets for urban safety and community well-being. These spaces are now better equipped to serve as emergency shelters, quarantine zones, and areas for health and recreational activities during regular periods. 3) Policy and planning recommendations: Formulate policy and planning recommendations that support the inclusion of protective green spaces in urban development plans. These recommendations advocate for the integration of green spaces into territorial spatial planning systems, so that the construction and maintenance of green spaces can be prioritized in urban planning processes.

Conclusion In conclusion, the construction of a more comprehensive and proactive urban safety protection system requires enhancing the emphasis on the utility of protective green spaces within the urban green space system. This research underscores the necessity of integrating protective green spaces into the territorial spatial planning system to ensure their practical implementation and utility. By doing so, cities can better prepare for and respond to public health emergencies, while providing safe, versatile, and functional spaces that contribute to the overall resilience and well-being of urban populations. This integration will not only enhance the capability of cities to immediately respond to public health risks, but also ensure long-term sustainability and livability of cities, thus fostering healthier, safer, and more resilient urban environments.