Search Results (101)

Street design quality and socio-economic factors jointly influence housing prices, but their intertwined effects and spatial variations remain under-quantified. Housing prices not only reflect residents’ neighborhood experiences but also stem from the spillover value of public streets perceived and used by different users. This study takes Tianjin as a case and views the street environment as an immediate experience proxy for through-travelers, combining street view images and crowdsourced perception data to extract both subjective and objective indicators of the street environment, and integrating neighborhood and location characteristics. We use Geographical-XGBoost to evaluate the relative contributions of multiple factors to housing prices and their spatial variations. The results show that incorporating both subjective and objective street information into the Hedonic Pricing Model (HPM) improves its explanatory power, while local modeling with G-XGBoost further reveals significant heterogeneity in the strength and direction of effects across different locations. The results indicate that incorporating both subjective and objective street information into the HPM enhances explanatory power, while local modeling with G-XGBoost reveals significant heterogeneity in the strength and direction of effects across different locations. Street greening, educational resources, and transportation accessibility are consistently associated with higher housing prices, but their strength varies by location. Core urban areas exhibit a “counterproductive effect” in terms of complexity and recognizability, while peripheral areas show a “barely acceptable effect,” which may increase cognitive load and uncertainty for through-travelers. In summary, street environments and socio-economic conditions jointly influence housing prices via a “corridor-side–community-side” dual-pathway: the former (enclosure, safety, recognizability) corresponds to immediate improvements for through-travelers, while the latter (education and public services) corresponds to long-term improvements for residents. Therefore, core urban areas should control design complexity and optimize human-scale safety cues, while peripheral areas should focus on enhancing public services and transportation, and meeting basic quality thresholds with green spaces and open areas. Urban renewal within a 15 min walking radius of residential areas is expected to collaboratively improve daily travel experiences and neighborhood quality for both residents and through-travelers, supporting differentiated housing policy development and enhancing overall quality of life. Full article

Rapid urbanization reduces green space and increases urban stressors, yet the mechanisms linking urban forests to residents’ subjective well-being remain incompletely understood. This study examines how perceived access, perceived quality, visitation frequency, and satisfaction with urban forests relate to citizens’ subjective well-being in Tehran. Using an online survey of 672 residents and structural equation modeling, this study estimates direct and indirect pathways among the constructs. The results show perceived access is the strongest predictor, raising visitation, satisfaction, and well-being, while perceived satisfaction is the most powerful direct driver of subjective well-being. Perceived quality positively affects well-being but with a smaller effect, and visitation frequency alone does not significantly improve well-being, underscoring that positive experiential factors such as satisfaction matter more than visit counts. The model explains 69.8% of variance in subjective well-being. This study refines the current theoretical foundation by integrating access, quality, frequency, and satisfaction within a single conceptual framework in a megacity context and directly comparing the relative strengths of accessibility versus quality as pathways to well-being. In the context of current knowledge it is among the first to test these comparative pathways using a large Tehran sample. Practically, these findings suggest that urban policy should prioritize equitable access and design that fosters satisfying experiences, not just increasing visit counts. Future research should use longitudinal or experimental designs, incorporate objective measures, compare multiple cities and types of green spaces, and explore moderators such as perceived safety, motivations for visiting, and place attachment to refine causal understanding and policy guidance. Full article

In high-density built environments, perceived density (PD)—shaped by physical, socio-cultural, and perceptual factors—often induces sensations of crowding, stress, and spatial oppression. Although green spaces are recognised for their stress-reducing effects, the influence of built-environment characteristics on public sentiment under stringent mobility restrictions remains inadequately explored. This study takes Chongqing, a representative mountainous metropolis in China, as a case to examine how natural and built environmental elements modulate emotional valence across varying PD levels. Using housing data (n = 4865) and geotagged Weibo posts (n = 120,319) collected during the 2022 lockdown, we constructed a PD-sensitive sentiment dictionary and applied Python’s Jieba package and natural language processing (NLP) techniques to analyse emotional scores related to PD. Spatial and bivariate autocorrelation analyses revealed clustered patterns of sentiment distribution and their association with physical density. Using entropy weighting, building density and floor area ratio were integrated to classify residential built environments (RBEs) into five tiers based on natural breaks. Key factors influencing positive sentiment across PD groups were identified through Pearson correlation heatmaps and OLS regression. Three main findings emerged: (1) Although higher-PD areas yielded a greater volume of positive sentiment expressions, they exhibited lower diversity and intensity compared to low-PD areas, suggesting inferior emotional quality; (2) Environmental and socio-cultural factors showed limited effects on sentiment in low-PD areas, whereas medium- and high-PD areas benefited from a significantly enhanced cumulative effect through the integration of socio-cultural amenities and transportation facilities—however, this positive correlation reversed at the highest level (RBE 5); (3) The model explained 20.3% of the variance in positive sentiment, with spatial autocorrelation effectively controlled. These findings offer nuanced insights into the nonlinear mechanisms linking urban form and emotional well-being in high-density mountainous settings, providing theoretical and practical guidance for emotion-sensitive urban planning. Full article

Against the backdrop of growing concerns over university students’ mental health worldwide, campus environments play a crucial role not only in shaping spatial experiences but also in influencing psychological well-being. However, the psychosocial mechanisms through which campus landscapes affect well-being remain insufficiently theorized. Drawing on survey data from 500 students across two Chinese universities, this study employs structural equation modeling (SEM) and interpretable machine learning techniques (XGBoost-SHAP) to systematically examine the interrelations among landscape perception, place attachment, perceived social acceptance, school belonging, and psychological well-being. The results reveal the following: (1) campus landscapes serve as the primary catalyst for fostering emotional identification (place attachment) and social connectedness (perceived social acceptance and school belonging), thereby indirectly influencing psychological well-being through these psychosocial pathways; (2) landscape perception emerges as the strongest predictor of well-being, followed by school belonging. Although behavioral variables such as the green space maintenance quality, visit frequency, and duration of stay contribute consistently, their predictive power remains comparatively limited; (3) significant nonlinear associations are observed between core variables and well-being. While the positive effects of landscape perception, place attachment, and school belonging exhibit diminishing returns beyond certain thresholds, high levels of perceived social acceptance continue to generate sustained improvements in well-being. This study advances environmental psychology by highlighting the central role of campus landscapes in promoting mental health and provides actionable strategies for campus planning. It advocates for the design of balanced, diverse, and socially engaging landscape environments to maximize psychological benefits. Full article

As mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression become increasingly prevalent in urban populations, there is a critical need to embed restorative functions into the built environment. Urban parks, as integral components of ecological infrastructure, play a vital role in promoting psychological well-being. This study explores how diverse park environments facilitate mental health recovery through multi-sensory engagement, using integrated psychophysiological assessments in a wetland park in Zhengzhou, China. Electroencephalography (EEG) and perceived restoration scores were employed to evaluate recovery outcomes across four environmental types: waterfront, wetland, forest, and plaza. Key perceptual factors—including landscape design, spatial configuration, biodiversity, and facility quality—were validated and analyzed for their roles in shaping restorative experiences. Results reveal significant variation in recovery effectiveness across environments. Waterfront areas elicited the strongest physiological responses, while plazas demonstrated lower restorative benefits. Two recovery pathways were identified: a direct, sensory-driven process and a cognitively mediated route. Biodiversity promoted physiological restoration only when mediated by perceived restorative qualities, whereas landscape and spatial attributes produced more immediate effects. Facilities supported psychological recovery mainly through cognitive appraisal. The study proposes a smart park framework that incorporates environmental sensors, adaptive lighting, real-time biofeedback systems, and interactive interfaces to enhance user engagement and monitor well-being. These technologies enable urban parks to function as intelligent, health-supportive infrastructures within the broader built environment. The findings offer evidence-based guidance for designing responsive green spaces that contribute to mental resilience, aligning with the goals of smart city development and healthy life-building environments. Full article

The spatial distribution mechanism of industrial agglomeration has long been a central topic in urban economic geography. With the increasing availability of street view imagery and built environment data, effectively integrating multi-source spatial information to identify key drivers of firm clustering has become a pressing research challenge. Taking Shanghai as a case study, this paper constructs a street-level Built Environment (BE) database and proposes an interpretable spatial analysis framework that integrates SHapley Additive exPlanations with Multi-Scale Geographically Weighted Regression. The findings reveal that: (1) building morphology, streetscape characteristics, and perceived greenness significantly influence firm agglomeration, exhibiting nonlinear threshold effects; (2) spatial heterogeneity is evident in the underlying mechanisms, with localized trade-offs between morphological and perceptual factors; and (3) BE features are as important as macroeconomic factors in shaping agglomeration patterns, with notable interaction effects across space, while streetscape perception variables play a relatively secondary role. This study advances the understanding of how micro-scale built environments shape industrial spatial structures and offers both theoretical and empirical support for optimizing urban industrial layouts and promoting high-quality regional economic development. Full article

Urban forests, as a form of green infrastructure, play a vital role in enhancing urban resilience, environmental health, and quality of life. However, users perceive and utilize these spaces in diverse ways. This study aims to identify latent perception types among urban forest visitors and analyze their behavioral, demographic, and policy-related characteristics in Incheon Metropolitan City (Republic of Korea). Using latent class analysis, four distinct visitor types were identified: multipurpose recreationists, balanced relaxation seekers, casual forest users, and passive forest visitors. Multipurpose recreationists preferred active physical use and sports facilities, while balanced relaxation seekers emphasized emotional well-being and cultural experiences. Casual users engaged lightly with forest settings, and passive forest visitors exhibited minimal recreational interest. Satisfaction with forest elements such as vegetation, facilities, and management conditions varied across visitor types and age groups, especially among older adults. These findings highlight the need for perception-based green infrastructure planning. Policy recommendations include expanding accessible neighborhood green spaces for aging populations, promoting community-oriented events, and offering participatory forest programs for youth engagement. By integrating user segmentation into urban forest planning and governance, this study contributes to more inclusive, adaptive, and sustainable management of urban green infrastructure. Full article

Urban green spaces play a critical role in promoting health, well-being and social inclusion. However, many such spaces remain underutilized by women due to perceived safety risks and inadequate infrastructure. The aim of this study is to understand the level of accessibility of these areas for women of different ages, considering their diverse needs related to physical activity and the sense of safety in public space. This research investigates the behavioural experiences of women in Zielona Góra, Poland, focusing on municipal parks and forests. A mixed-methods approach was applied, including on-site observations, in-depth interviews, online surveys and scenario modelling using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs), involving 204 women aged 15–85. The results show that 48% of respondents avoid green areas due to barriers such as poor lighting, fear of wild animals or unpredictable individuals and insufficient infrastructure. Women preferred afternoon visits and valued the presence of others for increased safety. The five most frequented parks were identified based on accessibility and infrastructure quality. Scenario simulations confirmed that even single targeted interventions could improve perceived safety and increase usage. This study highlights the need for inclusive urban design that addresses the specific experiences and requirements of women in public green spaces. Full article

Engagement in physical activity (PA) in natural environments is known to promote physical and psychological well-being, yet little is known about how such activity fluctuates across seasons and how it relates to individual characteristics and quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to assess the seasonal variability of PA in nature and examine its associations with sociodemographic factors, nature-related experiences, and overall QoL in a sample of Lithuanian adults. A total of 924 participants (680 women and 244 men) with a mean age of 40.0 ± 12.4 years completed an online survey. The study measures included sociodemographic characteristics, nature proximity, exposure, connectedness, perceived restoration in nature and QoL measured by the WHOQOL. Based on self-reported seasonal behaviour, participants were categorized into three groups: irregular or no PA in natural environments, seasonal variability, and regular year-round PA in natural environments. In the present study, we observed the lowest rates of PA in natural environments in winter and the highest in summer. Comparative analyses revealed that individuals with regular PA in natural environments reported significantly greater financial security, nature exposure and connectedness, proximity to green spaces, and overall QoL compared to less regular PA in nature groups. A multiple regression analysis identified financial security, nature proximity, nature exposure, connectedness, and perceived restoration in nature as significant and positive predictors of QoL. These findings point to the problem of inequity and suggest that inequitable access to PA in natural environments manifests as a higher seasonality of PA in nature. The practical implications of the study highlight the importance of addressing equity and promoting consistent PA in nature throughout seasons. During the dark, wet, and cold periods, it is important to implement targeted interventions that improve access to natural environments for individuals with lower financial security. This could help reduce inequity in physical activity. Promoting access to green spaces and fostering nature connectedness may be particularly valuable strategies in public health interventions aimed at enhancing QoL across diverse populations. Full article

Architectural ambiance refers to the mood perceived in a built environment, assessed through human reactions to virtual drawings of prospective spaces. This paper investigates the use of a ready-made artificial intelligence model to automate this task. Based on professional BIM models, videos of virtual tours of typical urban areas were built: a business district, a strip mall, and a residential area. GPT-4V was used to assess the aesthetic quality of the built environment based on keyframes of the videos and characterize these spaces shaped by subjective attributes. The spatial qualities analyzed through subjective human experience include space and scale, enclosure, style, and overall feelings. These factors were assessed with a diverse set of mood attributes, ranging from balance and protection to elegance, simplicity, or nostalgia. Human participants were surveyed with the same questions based on the videos. The answers were compared and analyzed according to these subjective attributes. Our findings indicate that, while GPT-4V demonstrates adequate proficiency in interpreting urban spaces, there are significant differences between the AI and human evaluators. In nine out of twelve cases, the AI’s assessments aligned with the majority of human voters. The business district environment proved more challenging to assess, while the green environment was effectively modeled. Full article

In rapidly urbanizing areas, there is a notable aggregation of vitality in high-density urban environments, accompanied by an increasing discrepancy between the supply and demand of urban green space (UGS). This study presented an integrated framework comprising a model for UGS supply-demand coupling coordination and a measure of urban vitality. Using downtown Beijing as a case study, the Gini coefficient assessed UGS supply-demand disparities across different vitality types. The study examined how UGS supply and demand factors interact with urban vitality, revealing the impact of UGS supply-demand imbalances on various dimensions of vitality and the UGS mismatches experienced by different vitality groups. The study showed that: (1) 63.29% of central Beijing’s areas had low UGS supply-demand coordination, with 39.23% experiencing UGS mismatches; (2) UGS supply and demand were significantly correlated with urban vitality spatial distribution; (3) these factors significantly impacted urban comprehensive vitality; (4) and there were notable UGS distribution disparities among vitality groups, with economic vitality group perceiving the greatest inequity (Gini = 0.311), followed by social vitality (Gini = 0.289) and cultural vitality group (Gini = 0.247). These findings offer valuable insights for a more refined assessment and enhancement of UGS, aiming to achieve balanced, high-quality, and sustainable urban development. Full article

This study investigates the relationship between climate change, urban greening, and health perceptions among university students within higher education. Grounded in environmental psychology and sustainability science, it explores how well-being is shaped by climate–health awareness, eco-anxiety, and perceived access to urban green spaces. A mixed-methods approach was employed, using structured questionnaires to assess cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses to climate change and sustainability. The findings indicate a high awareness of the health impacts of climate change, especially concerning mental well-being. Urban green spaces were recognized as positively influencing emotional resilience, physical activity, and environmental quality. However, despite this awareness, limited engagement in sustainability-oriented behaviors was identified, indicating an action gap. The study suggests the creation of a Climate Health Assessment Indicator to evaluate climate–health literacy and behavioral readiness among academic populations systematically. It also emphasizes integrating identity-based interventions into educational frameworks to support the transition from awareness to sustainable action. Positioned within the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals—particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption), and SDG 13 (Climate Action)—this research contributes to the interdisciplinary discourse on integrating sustainability and human well-being in academic and urban contexts. Full article

With rapid urbanization, enhancing the quality of public spaces is critical to residents’ well-being and sustainable urban development. However, user perceptions of these spaces remain insufficiently quantified. This study introduces a perception-based evaluation framework encompassing four dimensions: service, spatial, cultural, and aesthetic. A three-dimensional importance-performance analysis (3-D IPA) model is applied to assess two multifunctional public spaces in Wuhan—the Citizens’ Home (CH) and the Creative World Industrial Park (CWIP)—with the aim of identifying user-prioritized attributes that inform sustainable design interventions. The findings reveal the following: (1) At CH, spatial perception (importance = 3.93; performance = 4.02) received the highest ratings, particularly for openness and ecological pavement, highlighting areas for green infrastructure improvement. (2) At CWIP, cultural perception (importance = 3.75; performance = 3.73) dominated, with a need to enhance the signage systems and cultural integration for greater place identity. (3) Optimization priorities included energy-efficient lighting, entrance enhancements, and recreational layout improvements at CH, and thematic diversity and wayfinding systems at CWIP. (4) The 3-D IPA framework effectively identifies user-perceived priorities and supports experience-driven, resource-conscious spatial improvements. This study provides a user-centered, data-informed approach for evaluating and optimizing urban public spaces, offering practical strategies to align spatial quality with long-term sustainability goals. Full article

Urban green spaces are essential for promoting public health by encouraging physical activity, reducing stress, and enhancing overall well-being. However, the perception and utilization of these spaces vary based on socio-demographic factors and urban planning characteristics. This study investigates public perception of urban green spaces and their perceived health benefits, emphasizing their psychological, physical, and social impacts. The study involved 240 respondents who assessed the availability and quality of green spaces as well as the social and psychological aspects of their use. The survey was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that environmental awareness (β = 0.404, p < 0.001) and social interaction (β = 0.391, p < 0.001) are significant predictors of the frequency of visiting green spaces, while their availability and quality do not have a significant impact. These findings highlight the critical role of environmental education and community awareness initiatives in maximizing the health benefits derived from urban green spaces. Frequency of use is positively associated with both mental (β = 0.272, p = 0.002) and physical health (β = 0.409, p < 0.001). Surprisingly, social interaction demonstrates a negative impact on mental health (β = −0.166, p = 0.002), which requires further study. The obtained results highlight the need for an integrated approach to studying the relationship between the urban environment and population health. Full article

Background: The latest data on physical inactivity and mental health among adolescents raise concerns about the quality of life and development of young people. The expert scientific community in this field has focused its efforts on researching tools that facilitate the improvement of these variables, such as self-perceived physical condition and life satisfaction, with evidence supporting the effects of green spaces on health. Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of a physical activity intervention in the natural environment on life satisfaction and self-perceived physical condition in adolescents. Methods: For this purpose, a 12-day quasi-experimental study was carried out, consisting of nature activities (such as canyoning or canoeing) twice a day in an adolescent population that attended camps in the region. Results: The results showed improvements in both variables, with increasing levels of life satisfaction and self-perceived physical condition after the intervention. Conclusions: Physical activity in natural environments is an effective strategy to improve the physical and mental health of young people, acquiring vital importance as a protective factor against numerous psychological and social disorders. Interventions that promote physical activity in the natural environment have proven successful in improving life satisfaction and self-perceived physical condition among young people, simultaneously addressing issues of inactivity, quality of life, and healthy habits in this demographic group. Full article