The Influence of Spatial Characteristics on Crowd Behaviors: A Behavioral Proxy Approach for Street Quality Assessment

Xiang, Ke; Liang, Zhuoyue; Ouyang, Yiyu; Xiang, Shuyin; Lucchi, Elena

doi:10.3390/buildings16081584

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Spatial Characteristics on Crowd Behaviors: A Behavioral Proxy Approach for Street Quality Assessment

by

Ke Xiang

¹

,

Zhuoyue Liang

^1,*

,

Yiyu Ouyang

¹,

Shuyin Xiang

²

and

Elena Lucchi

³

¹

School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China

²

School of Art and Design, Guangdong Industry Polytechnic University, Guangzhou 510300, China

³

Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture (DICAr), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 3, 27010 Pavia, Italy

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Buildings 2026, 16(8), 1584; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081584

Submission received: 11 March 2026 / Revised: 14 April 2026 / Accepted: 15 April 2026 / Published: 17 April 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Data-Driven Intelligence for Sustainable Urban Renewal)

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Abstract

This study examines the street spaces of Shamian Island in Guangzhou and addresses the long-standing urban design challenge of quantifying subjective perception. Drawing on environmental psychology, it introduces “behavioral representation” as a proxy variable for perception. By synthesizing international street design guidelines, the study establishes a street-characteristic indicator system covering spatial scale, interface, facilities, and landscape. Multiple linear regression (MLR) models are then applied to analyze in depth how spatial elements influence five types of behavior, including lingering, passing through, and consumption. The results show that walkway width is the core driving factor across all behavior types, while artistic landscape installations exert the most significant effect on long-duration stays. In addition, different spatial elements exhibit distinct mechanisms in shaping various behaviors. The study constructs a “space–perception–behavior” cognitive framework, providing an evidence-based tool and a methodological reference for evaluating subjective perception in urban design.

Keywords: spatial quality; behavioral proxy; impact mechanism

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MDPI and ACS Style

Xiang, K.; Liang, Z.; Ouyang, Y.; Xiang, S.; Lucchi, E. The Influence of Spatial Characteristics on Crowd Behaviors: A Behavioral Proxy Approach for Street Quality Assessment. Buildings 2026, 16, 1584. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081584

AMA Style

Xiang K, Liang Z, Ouyang Y, Xiang S, Lucchi E. The Influence of Spatial Characteristics on Crowd Behaviors: A Behavioral Proxy Approach for Street Quality Assessment. Buildings. 2026; 16(8):1584. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081584

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xiang, Ke, Zhuoyue Liang, Yiyu Ouyang, Shuyin Xiang, and Elena Lucchi. 2026. "The Influence of Spatial Characteristics on Crowd Behaviors: A Behavioral Proxy Approach for Street Quality Assessment" Buildings 16, no. 8: 1584. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081584

APA Style

Xiang, K., Liang, Z., Ouyang, Y., Xiang, S., & Lucchi, E. (2026). The Influence of Spatial Characteristics on Crowd Behaviors: A Behavioral Proxy Approach for Street Quality Assessment. Buildings, 16(8), 1584. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081584

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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The Influence of Spatial Characteristics on Crowd Behaviors: A Behavioral Proxy Approach for Street Quality Assessment

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