The Association between Ground Floor Features and Public Open Space Face-To-Face Interactions: Evidence from Nantou Village, Shenzhen

Mirna Zordan, Gianni Talamini and Caterina Villani
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Mirna Zordan: Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Gianni Talamini: Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Caterina Villani: Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 24, 1-19

Abstract: With face-to-face interaction proving beneficial for mental health, there is still a paucity of research on the correlation between ground floor features (GFFs), defined here as the features of the ground floor of buildings overlooking a street, and public open space face-to-face interaction density (POSFTFID), defined as the density of human face-to-face interactions in the public open space (POS) adjacent to each building. Is there a correlation between GFFs and POSFTFID? This study aims to answer this question gaining empirical evidence from a Chinese village in the city (ViC). Behavioural mapping and statistical analysis were employed and the following GFFs were tested: Ground floor area, indoor visible space, presence of stairs, POS adjacent area, and land use. Results show an association between POSFTFID and: (1) The area of the POS adjacent to each building, (2) the degree of visibility (ratio of indoor visible space to total internal space) of the ground floor, (3) the presence of stairs. Moreover, food appears to be an important attribute fostering social interaction. Results can provide insights on future implications in urban design strategies and planning policies aiming at enhancing mental health conditions in contemporary cities.

Keywords: street façade; face-to-face interaction; healthy city; correlational analysis; Kernel density maps (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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