AHFE Open AccessHuman Factors in Architecture, Sustainable Urban Planning and Infrastructure
Editors: Alicja Maciejko
Topics: Sustainable Urban Planning and Infrastructure
Publication Date: 2025
ISBN: 978-1-964867-67-0
DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1006002
Articles
Architectural, environmental and psychological aspects in the concept of healing house
Contemporary architecture and urban planning extend beyond the creation of aesthetic and functional spaces, increasingly focusing on interdisciplinary research into the effects of buildings on users' health and well-being. With growing health awareness and the rise of lifestyle diseases, architectural design is becoming a tool that supports both physical and mental well-being. Key to this is research on Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), a set of health symptoms that arise from poor environmental conditions. Parameters such as CO2 levels, temperature, humidity, toxic substances, and noise can be measured with modern tools, enabling the identification of health risks. Poor functional and ergonomic design can also lead to physical strain, injuries, and disorientation, which are being studied and addressed through architectural solutions. A healthy building is typically defined as neutral if it meets building and sanitary standards. However, the authors argue that a building should actively support health, incorporating technical aspects such as energy efficiency and air quality, as well as psychological and social factors like natural light, access to nature, acoustic quality, and personalization of space. The concept of a healing building goes beyond health neutrality by actively promoting physical and mental recovery through optimized microclimates, comfort, and positive social interactions. While therapeutic spaces and their effects on health are still under-researched, this issue became particularly prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic, when home environments replaced medical spaces for treatment. This article explores the interdisciplinary connections between architecture, engineering, and psychology in the context of healing buildings, attempting to define the parameters of residential spaces that support health, well-being, and recovery across various age groups and illnesses. This approach has the potential to enhance design quality and create meaningful changes in everyday life.
Alicja Maciejko, Karol Staszczuk, Anna Staszczuk
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Passive cooling strategies of residential buildings in human friendly architectural and construction design - example of experimental results
Design of human and environmentally friendly buildings is an important aspect of contemporary, sustainable architecture. New buildings designed in accordance with current regulations for thermal protection of envelope should also take into account not only energy demand and greenhouse gases emissions issues, but also those related to the interior microclimate.Extreme heat waves, caused by global warming, are also increasingly common in temperate countries such as Poland. They have a negative impact on the health and well-being of residents. Structures with low heat capacity cause buildings overheating. Passive cooling strategies are one way to prevent this phenomenon.The article presents case studies with key results of experimental research carried out with the author contribution in experimental buildings located in the Science and Technology Park of the University of Zielona Gora in Nowy Kisielin in Poland: in two one-storey full size residential laboratory buildings and in the building of Centre of Sustainable Building and Energy. Passive cooling methods such as heat storage in the building envelope made of traditional materials and PCMs, heat storage in the ground, use of external blinds in windows and increased night ventilation were applied. The results suggest that most of these methods are effective in maintaining required temperatures inside the building during heat wave, leading to a significant improvement in the well-being and comfort of inhabitants.
Anna Staszczuk
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Effects of Opaque Patterns on Desk Partitions on Sense of Enclosure in the Work Environment
In office environments, desk partitions are widely used to ensure spaces that enable individuals to focus on their work. By enclosing three sides of a worker’s seating area, partitions effectively block visual stimuli from the surrounding environment, fostering a semi-private workspace conducive to concentration. However, while such partitions support individual focus, excessive enclosure can evoke a sense of confinement or isolation, which may inadvertently hinder open communication and undermine the collaborative benefits integral to modern office dynamics. To address the challenges posed by excessive enclosure in desk partitions, this study focuses on developing desk partition designs that incorporate opaque patterns. These patterns, including gradient and uniform opacity, aim to reduce the sense of confinement while effectively delineating visual boundaries to support focused work. Through two experiments using virtual reality technology, we examined participants’ preferences for specific settings and analyzed their psychological effects, with particular attention to mitigating feelings of confinement and enhancing workspace comfort.In Experiment 1, we investigated the range of opaque patterns preferred by participants for desk partitions to support focused work. Participants wore head-mounted displays and were immersed in a virtual office environment, seated at a desk surrounded by adjustable partitions. They were instructed to modify four specific settings of the partitions —partition height, top-edge opacity, top of the gradation and foot of the gradation. until an environment conducive to concentration. Notably, the results revealed that factors such as ceiling height, desk size, and the level of traffic in the environment did not significantly influence participants' preferences for partition height or opacity.In Experiment 2, we investigated how the presence or absence of gradient patterns and changes in the opacity at the top edge of desk partitions influenced the sense of confinement. While the experimental setup was like that of Experiment 1, participants were instructed to adjust only the partition height, based on their perceived sense of confinement as the selection criterion. The results indicated that partitions with higher top-edge opacity tended to be adjusted to greater heights. Moreover, partitions without gradient patterns were adjusted to greater heights compared to those with gradient patterns. Notably, evaluations of gradient patterns showed a significant shift in preferences around a top-edge opacity of 40%. Additionally, an analysis of the total light transmittance, calculated as the integral of transparency by height, revealed that the sense of confinement was not solely influenced by overall transmittance. Instead, the distribution of transparency—whether created through gradient or uniform patterns—was also identified as a critical determinant.These findings contribute to the design of office environments by illustrating how partitions that reduce the sense of confinement while enhancing focus can support the development of seating layouts aimed at improving intellectual productivity. Specifically, in large office spaces, the strategic placement of partitions with thoughtfully designed opaque patterns can effectively define work areas without obstructing communication. Furthermore, applying this knowledge has the potential to achieve a delicate balance between privacy and collaboration in office design, addressing key challenges in modern office design.
Nao Noda, Yohsuke Yoshioka
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Effect of Stair Tread Width on Perception of Vertical Ascending Distance
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between stair tread width and the perception of vertical movement distance during stair ascent.The experiment tested whether variations in stair tread width (300mm, 600mm, and 900mm) influenced the perceived vertical movement distance. Twenty healthy university students participated, ascending a five-step stair constructed in the real world while wearing a head-mounted display (VIVE Focus Vision/HTC). The head-mounted display presented an immersive virtual environment where virtual stairs were aligned with the actual physical stairs. This setup controlled visual input while allowing participants to perform physical stair-climbing motions.Previous studies have proposed reproducing the sensation of stair ascent using virtual environments with only horizontal walking. However, horizontal movement alone lacks the muscle activity and physical effort associated with stair ascent, which may affect the perception of vertical movement. To address this limitation, this study utilized real stairs to test the validity of the effort hypothesis.During the experiment, participants repeatedly ascended the target stairs. After each ascent, the stairs were temporarily hidden, and a ground plane—set at ground level—was displayed as the measurement space. A single cylinder was shown on the ground, which participants could adjust in height using a controller. They were instructed to adjust the cylinder's height to match the height of the stairs they had just climbed. The adjusted height of the cylinder was recorded as the "perceived height," quantifying the ascending sensation induced by the stairs.A one-way ANOVA with stair tread width as the factor, followed by multiple comparisons, revealed statistically significant differences (p < 0.10) between the 300mm and 600mm conditions and between the 300mm and 900mm conditions. In both cases, the perceived height was greater for the 300mm tread condition, suggesting that smaller tread dimensions enhanced the sense of ascent.These findings are consistent with the effort hypothesis. The 300mm tread condition resulted in steeper gradients than the other conditions, requiring greater effort per unit of horizontal movement. The findings suggest that this increased effort contributed to the heightened perception of vertical movement distance.In conclusion, this study demonstrates that altering stair tread width can influence the perceived height, providing insights into how physical effort affects perception in stair-climbing tasks.
Takumi Nagata, Yohsuke Yoshioka
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Online learning space environment in colleges and universities based on learning effectiveness
With the expansion of online teaching demands and the gradual maturity of remote conferencing software, online teaching models have rapidly developed after the pandemic, becoming one of the mainstream learning methods for university students. The shift to online learning has transformed educational practices and methodologies, necessitating a reevaluation of how educational spaces are designed and utilized. In recent years, research on the influencing factors of online learning behaviors has gained significant attention, and studies in this area have been increasingly prevalent.The physical environment is one of the critical factors affecting behavior; the material elements of space significantly influence human behavior patterns. This influence extends to learning environments, where aspects such as lighting, acoustics, and spatial layout play a vital role in shaping students’ learning experiences. Therefore, studying online learning spaces is essential for understanding the factors that influence the effectiveness of online education.Unlike traditional teaching methods, the structure of learning time allocation and the nature of learning behaviors in online learning have undergone significant changes. Traditional learning spaces, designed for face-to-face interaction and physical presence, are often ill-equipped to meet the diverse online learning needs of university students. Factors such as flexibility, accessibility, and technological integration become paramount in creating effective online learning environments. As a result, investigating university students' online learning space requirements is crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of their online learning experiences.This paper explores the impact of architectural space factors on university students' online learning behaviors from a human factors research perspective. It investigates how various environmental factors—such as thermal environment, air quality, and furniture and equipment—affect the online learning effectiveness of college students. For instance, a comfortable thermal environment can enhance concentration and reduce fatigue, while poor air quality can lead to decreased cognitive function and engagement. Additionally, the arrangement and quality of furniture and equipment can significantly influence students' ability to interact with digital learning tools and participate in online discussions.To gather relevant data, this study developed a survey questionnaire on satisfaction with online learning spaces in universities, based on interviews and established space satisfaction scales. The questionnaire aims to assess students' perceptions of their online learning environments and identify areas for improvement. By employing empirical analysis methods, the study verifies the reliability of the questionnaire, exploring the differential impacts of spatial factors on learning effectiveness.The findings of this research are expected to provide valuable insights into the specific needs and preferences of university students regarding online learning environments. By understanding these factors, educational institutions can better design and optimize their online learning spaces to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.Finally, this paper interprets the demands of online learning environments by combining offline space surveys and empirical analysis results. Based on the existing spatial conditions, it proposes targeted optimization strategies for online spaces aimed at enhancing learning effectiveness. These strategies may include recommendations for improving air quality, enhancing ergonomic furniture design, and ensuring adequate technological support. By addressing these critical aspects, educational institutions can create more effective and supportive online learning environments, ultimately leading to improved student performance and satisfaction.
Mengying Liang, Jiawei Wang, Minghui Xue, Zhuo Xu
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Visual cultural symbols in the colonial context: A comparative analysis of Macau, Havana and Mexico City
This study explores the visual cultural symbols shaped by the colonial histories of Macau, Havana, and Mexico City, and analyzes their role in urban identity and cultural heritage. By comparing architectural styles, public art, monuments and urban planning, the study examines how colonial influences shaped the visual landscape of these cities and their profound impact on local culture. The findings show that while all three cities have a colonial past, they exhibit unique paths and complexities in inheriting and transforming their colonial heritage. This study hopes to provide a new perspective for the construction of urban identity in the context of globalization through comparative analysis.This study is framed by interdisciplinary theories of visual cultural symbols, urban images, cultural heritage and colonial culture. Visual culture symbol theory emphasizes the role of image, symbol and visual expression in cultural transmission and identity formation. Urban image theory focuses on how iconic urban features affect perception and emotional connection, while cultural heritage emphasizes the importance of both material and intangible traditions in maintaining social continuity and diversity. Colonial culture examines the enduring cultural forms of the colonial period and their impact on postcolonial societies.Macau's visual cultural symbols reflect a unique blend of Eastern and Western elements, shaped by its Portuguese colonial past and current status as a special administrative region of China. This integration is evident in architecture, public Spaces and daily life, creating a unique cultural landscape. Similarly, the visual image of Havana shows the fusion of Spanish colonial heritage with Cuban traditions, reflected in its historic buildings, public art, and urban planning. Mexico City, on the other hand, demonstrates a dialogue between its colonial history and modernity, with its architectural design blending international styles and local cultural elements.The study highlights the dual challenges and opportunities that cities with colonial histories face in preserving and presenting their unique visual cultural symbols. These symbols are not only a bridge between history and modernity, but also between local and global identity. They play a vital role in shaping the image of cities, promoting tourism, and contributing to economic and social sustainability. However, the protection and use of cultural heritage also presents challenges in balancing environmental, social and historical values.The findings suggest that the colonial visual cultural symbols of Macau, Havana, and Mexico City represent a fusion of European styles and local traditions reflected in their art, architecture, urban planning, and cultural policies. These symbols are essential to showcase the diversity and inclusion of the city, while connecting historical and contemporary narratives. Despite its contributions, the study acknowledges limitations in the scope and depth of case selection, suggesting that future research could be extended to more cities and regions to explore how different cultural contexts and stages of development influenced the evolution of colonial heritage.
Zhiyuan Zheng, Yaoyao Yu
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Neural Correlates of Architectural Interior Preferences and Single-Trial Preference Prediction
Preference is an important indicator of architectural design quality and human well-being. Current interior space design mainly relies on the designer's subjective judgment and lacks an objective basis. This study aims to quantify event-related potential (ERP) features of architectural interior preference, and examine whether we can infer human preference from single-trial ERP using machine learning. Thirty-six university students participated in an experiment where they viewed architectural interior images and rated them based on their preferences. Significant voltage differences were observed in particular channels (mainly in Oz, O2, Pz, Fp1, Fp2, T7) when participants viewed liked versus disliked images. Source localization indicated that liked images primarily activated the left frontal cortex, while disliked images predominantly activated the left occipital lobe. The within-subject models significantly outperformed the chance level, while the cross-subject models did not show significant results. Also, we found that some visual features can be decoded better than other features by EEG. These findings shed new light on understanding the difference in ERP of interior preference and illustrate the potential for developing a brain-computer interface (BCI) for rapid design evaluation.
Yuhong Chen, Qixu Xie, Li Zhang
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Urban Spatial Monitoring on Innovative Activities: The Case of G60 Innovative Corridor
This study explores the application of urban spatial monitoring data in the implementation and evaluation of urban planning, with a particular focus on the spatial distribution and dynamic evolution of innovative activities within urban territories. Using the G60 Innovation Corridor in the Yangtze River Delta as a case study, this study analyzes invention patent data from nine cities from 2010 to 2021, combined with the International Patent Classification (IPC) system and geographic information technology. The findings reveal that: (1) The number of invention patents in the G60 Innovation Corridor exhibited a three-stage trend of "slow growth - rapid growth - fluctuating decline" from 2010 to 2020, with Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Hefei emerging as core innovation hubs; (2) Innovative technologies are predominantly concentrated in Class B (performing operations; transporting) and Class G (physics), with significant growth in sub-fields such as G06 (computing technology), reflecting the rapid development of the digital economy; (3) Spatially, a multi-polar distribution pattern has formed around Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Hefei, with cross-regional patent cooperation primarily in physics and electronic technology, accounting for over 50% of collaborations. The results provide a scientific basis for optimizing territorial space planning, guiding the agglomeration of innovative resources, and promoting regional coordinated development.
Lie Wang, Yiwen Chen, Lingyue Li
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Climate and sustainability in architecture: analysis of challenges and limitations for universal solutions in the design of single-family houses
The aim of the article is to analyze the influence of different climatic conditions on the development of architectural forms of single-family houses. The study focuses on a modular, prefabricated structure with a simple form, ensuring flexibility and adaptability to different environmental conditions. The authors, a geographer and an architect, examined six selected locations representing different climatic zones, chosen for their distinct environmental characteristics and relevance to global climate diversity. The analysis is based on the SWOT method, taking into account adaptation strategies, possibilities of implementing the principles of sustainable development and the relationship between design and environmental conditions. The article puts forward the thesis that universal architectural solutions have limited effectiveness due to specific climatic and environmental requirements. However, appropriately designed adaptability of modular forms allows to overcome these limitations. The conclusions indicate that achieving sustainable and ecological design is possible by adapting techniques, materials and architectural forms to local climatic conditions. For the purposes of the study, an original design of a modular prefabricated house with a frame structure was developed, consisting of 4×4 m modules, creating a body with the dimensions of 8×16 m. This model was selected due to its potential for easy adaptation to different locations and user needs. The analysis was conducted in the form of a theoretical design simulation, which resulted in guidelines for the optimal shaping of modules, their perforation and computer models of buildings. The study is based on the author's hybrid classification of climate zones, extending the traditional Köppen-Geiger system with additional factors relevant to architecture, such as extreme weather events, humidity levels, sun exposure, geotechnical conditions, etc. The SWOT analysis allowed to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the modular construction in different climatic contexts, taking into account material efficiency, construction possibilities and passive adaptation strategies. The research results prove that universal architectural solutions are inherently limited by climatic factors. However, the use of modularity and flexibility of forms enables effective adaptation of designs to local conditions. The article contributes to the discussion on adaptive architecture by presenting a design framework for modular residential buildings, combining standardization with flexible adaptation to local conditions.
Alicja Maciejko, Michal Grzeskowiak, Antonina Kowalska
Open Access
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Conference Proceedings
Bridging Subjective Experience and Objective Measures: A Novel Method for Assessing Indoor Wayfinding Efficiency Using Virtual Environments
With the accelerating pace of global urbanisation and the demand for high-quality urbanisation in China, enhancing spatial experience has emerged as a critical issue in urban-architectural design. Accurately evaluating the efficiency of built space usage from a perspective that better aligns with users' subjective experiences provides empirical evidence for urban regeneration and design decision-making. Wayfinding performance in large public buildings, as a key indicator of spatial utilisation efficiency, has become a significant interdisciplinary research focus in fields such as urban-architecture studies, human factors, and neuroscience.Traditional methods for assessing wayfinding efficiency primarily rely on two data collection approaches: individual on-site tracking experiments and spatiotemporal distribution records for groups. The former often struggles to pinpoint participants' precise positions, while the latter fails to capture specific individual behaviours during wayfinding tasks. Due to limitations in trajectory data accuracy, previous methods face challenges in precisely identifying when and where wayfinding errors, such as backtracking or looping, occur—behaviours often associated with subjective recognition of wayfinding errors. These methods typically assess wayfinding efficiency by comparing total path length with the shortest path, overlooking the role of spatial features in shaping perception during wayfinding and their alignment with subjective experiences.This study aims to establish and validate a novel objective approach for assessing indoor wayfinding efficiency that better aligns with users' subjective experiences.To address the limitations of previous methods in accurately evaluating wayfinding performance in large public buildings, this research employs a high-fidelity immersive virtual environment to collect spatiotemporal location data during wayfinding tasks. By utilising built-in scripts, the study achieves precise tracking of participants' trajectories and fixation points, significantly improving the accuracy of individual spatiotemporal data and semantic analysis of fixation points, with temporal and spatial resolutions reaching 0.05 seconds and 0.01 metres, respectively.To address the misalignment between traditional wayfinding efficiency assessment methods and subjective user experiences, this study introduces a new evaluation metric: the proportion of time spent on valid routes (defined as trajectories traversed only once, without any circular movements). This approach considers the influence of spatial features on perceptual baselines during wayfinding, producing efficiency metrics that better reflect participants’ subjective cognition in large public buildings.To validate this novel method, an experimental case study was conducted in a virtual reality environment. Data from 25 participants were collected, including approximately 1.9 × 10⁵ eye-tracking data points, spatiotemporal location records, and 25 cognitive maps. Correlation analyses between wayfinding efficiency and the accuracy of cognitive maps, combined with subjective questionnaire responses, demonstrated that the proposed method effectively captures participants’ subjective spatial cognition during wayfinding.This research provides a framework for objectively assessing indoor wayfinding efficiency that integrates subjective experiences, offering valuable insights for the design and reconstruction of large public buildings.
Xiaohan Mei, Li Zhang
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
The Current characteristics and spatial development model of Mongolian medical facilities
This study analyses the current situation of Mongolian medical facilities in China by categorizing and statistically analysing the existing Mongolian medical facilities in China, and selects representative outpatient clinics, community health service stations and clinics to carry out on-site visits and research. The physical status of the built environment, interviews with people's satisfaction, observation of people's activity trajectories were summarised and compared with the functional space involved in the complete medical process of Mongolian medical activities, and existing problems such as irrational configuration of the various types of areas of the Mongolian medical facilities, fuzzy and single positioning of operational functions, and poor correlation of the functional space of the Mongolian medical facilities were put forward, and the concept of future functional space development model of the medical facilities was proposed for the problems of the research. Then, it puts forward the conception of the future functional space development mode of Mongolian medical facilities, which will provide a reference basis for architectural programming, design and construction of Mongolian medical facilities in the future.
Jing Zhang, Guangtian Zou, Xintong Wei
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Human factors barriers to retrofitting historic residential properties in Edinburgh
Edinburgh has one of the highest concentrations of historic buildings in the UK outside of London, with more than 10,000 listed buildings and 50 conservation areas where modifications of properties are restricted for heritage conservation purposes. Like many cities, Edinburgh also has an ambitious net zero aspiration to significantly reduce average household electricity and gas consumption, which necessitates changes that may not be permitted in protected properties. This paper examines the interlinked human factor challenges to retrofitting protected historic residential properties in Edinburgh, using data from a 2023 City of Edinburgh Council public consultation on building heritage conservation and climate change adaptation. The study objective was to identify lever points where the human factor barriers can be lowered or removed to improve the rate and uptake of energy retrofits and climate adaptations by historic property-owners. The consultation was carried out as an online questionnaire survey and yielded 431 validated responses (n = 431). A mixed-method approach was used to unpack the data, where Likert-scale questions were statistically analysed and open-ended questions were explored via thematic analysis. The results showed that whilst financial cost is a major barrier for historic property-owners to improve the energy efficiency and climate change resilience of their homes (as indicated by 70% of all respondents), other human factors in the planning process and wider construction industry also contribute to the larger national challenge of retrofitting and adapting the historic building stock. Over half of all respondents (55%) indicated that the process of applying for permission is a major barrier, followed by the availability of tradespeople (35%), and the difficulty seeking agreement with neighbours (32%), specifically for flat owners – who also face more types of climate-related issues in their properties than do detached and terraced homeowners. Of note is the layered accessibility issues to typical historic homeowners’ retrofit journey suggested by thematic analysis – from difficulty in identifying the most appropriate and cost-effective works needed for their properties, to trouble understanding regulations and planning jargons, to user experience problems with the permission application filing process, to difficulty finding reputable and qualified contractors. Many of these issues in turn increase the overall financial cost of the retrofit and the time it required to carry out the work, creating a vicious cycle in cognitive ergonomics that amplifies the “hassle” factor that inevitably comes with any home-improvement projects. But more importantly, these barriers contribute to Edinburgh residents’ overall negative perception of retrofitting or adapting historic residential properties, and an erosion of trust of the local authority, leading to both potential loss of heritage architectural characteristics (through noncompliance) and lagging rate of old buildings needing energy retrofits (through owner avoidance).
W Victoria Lee
Open Access
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Conference Proceedings
Exploring the Impact of European Green Policy on Sustainable Product Design
This study takes sustainable product design as the research object based on the European green policy perspective. It discusses the closely related requirements of the European Green Deal on product life cycle design. It suggests that designers enhance the use of sustainable design methods to cope with the impact of the regulations. This will help enterprises comply with the wave of green development and break the green trade barriers.
Zhong Jianwen, Jun Zhang
Open Access
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Conference Proceedings
The Influence of Geometric Properties of Spandrel Wall on the Perception of Spatial Depth
This study investigates the influence of spandrel wall geometry on spatial depth perception. Partition walls contribute to spatial organization and perceptual experiences, yet the specific effects of spandrel walls remain understudied. Using immersive virtual environment technology, we conducted controlled experiments to examine how spandrel wall height and position affect depth perception.Participants memorized the depth of a reference virtual space before adjusting the depth of a test space containing spandrel walls. Depth perception accuracy was measured based on the discrepancy between the memorized and adjusted depths. The study consisted of a preliminary experiment and two main experiments: Experiment 1 analyzed the effect of wall position (central vs. peripheral), while Experiment 2 examined both position and height variations.Results indicated significant perceptual distortions based on wall placement and height. Centrally positioned walls induced greater errors, particularly at a height of 1.0 m, suggesting a critical threshold for perceptual impact. At lower heights, position played a stronger role in depth perception, whereas at greater heights, the wall itself became the dominant factor. These findings reveal an interaction between position and height in defining spatial perception and functional space division.This study provides insights for architectural design, optimizing partition wall configurations to balance spatial continuity and segmentation. Future research should further explore additional spatial factors to refine these findings.
Amon Onodera, Yohsuke Yoshioka
Open Access
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Conference Proceedings
Designing for the mind: the impact of university environments on well-being in students by (using) neurophysiological responses
This study investigates the influence of different university environments on students’ well-being and cognitive restoration by using neurophysiological (central – electrophysiological [EEG]) and autonomic (peripherical) responses. 31 psychology students (aged 22-28 years) were exposed to four environments in a randomized order: a traditional classroom, an atrium, a laboratory, and an immersive exhibition. EEG data frequency bands: delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma), autonomic data (heart rate, HR; skin conductance level, SCL) and psychometric data (the Building Wellbeing Scale [BWS] and the Perceived Restorativeness Scale [PRS]) were collected. Analysis revealed significant differences in the participants’ neurophysiological responses across environments. EEG results showed increased Delta and Theta activity in the temporo-parietal region during interactions with immersive environments, indicating greater cognitive engagement and relaxation. Beta activity was higher in classrooms, suggesting increased cognitive load. Autonomic measures revealed elevated skin conductance level in the atrium, indicating heightened arousal compared to other spaces. Psychometric assessments indicated that the atrium scored highest on relational well-being, while the exhibition was rated as most restorative, particularly in the coherence subscale. The atrium, with its open and naturally lit design, promoted social connection, while the exhibition fostered a restorative experience due to its engaging design. The findings suggest that environmental characteristics significantly affect both subjective and objective well-being, underscoring the importance of balancing cognitive stimulation and relaxation in academic spaces.
Michela Balconi, Katia Rovelli
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Inclusive design strategies based on a human factors perspective: integrating urban color in the regional cultural diversity of multi-ethnic cities
The national culture of a city is a symbol of its unique identity, which profoundly affects the residents' sense of identity and belonging. Colour, as a visual expression of urban cultural landscape, not only shapes the visual image of the city, but also guides the residents' emotional experience and behavioural patterns in an invisible way. With the rapid development of cities, the phenomenon of serious loss of urban characteristics and one-sidedness of a thousand cities has become more and more prominent. This poses a challenge to the psychological feelings of urban residents and the diversity of social culture. Through the collection and research of ethnic colours in Hohhot City, it is found that how to make the city colours can reflect the cultural characteristics of multi-ethnic integration, and at the same time meet the psychological needs and aesthetic preferences of the residents, is a problem that needs to be solved by the current urban colour planning. This thesis aims to study the development profile of Hohhot and extract the current status of urban colour through literature, questionnaire survey, field research, etc., and quantitatively analyse the colour information by using the NCS colour system and the self-developed Java NCS colour analysis data program to determine the overall positioning of urban colour in Hohhot. In the planning process, we fully consider the human factor, from the residents' emotional experience, cognitive habits and behavioural patterns, and combine the urban colour planning with the city's functional layout, architectural style, landscape design, etc., to form a colour planning system from macro to micro, and from general to specific. Through the research method and based on the research of multi-ethnic urban architectural planning, the regional urban colour characteristics of Hohhot are finally summarized. The results of the study analyzed the minority architectural colours in the main urban area of Hohhot and obtained the chromatogram of the ethnic city of Hohhot, which is composed of greenish grey, light grey, white and other colours, from the grey landscape area in the western part with low luminance and low purity to the light grey landscape area in the eastern part with high luminance and low purity, which forms the rhythmic change of the urban colours in luminance and purity, which not only conforms to the aesthetic preference of the residents, but also can be used psychologically and psychologically. These colours not only meet the residents' aesthetic preferences, but also give them a sense of tranquility, comfort and belonging psychologically. Urban colour planning from the perspective of human factors can not only shape the unique image of the city, but also improve the quality of life of the residents and social and cultural diversity. In the future urban development, we should pay more attention to the combination of national cultural characteristics and modernism elements, to achieve the organic integration of traditional national culture and modern urban culture and innovative development, to provide urban residents with a more colorful and culturally rich urban colour environment.
Chen Li, Nan Li, Xiaoyu Xiao
Open Access
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Conference Proceedings
Spaces that Enhance User Well-Being
The design and construction of a cultural center focused on promoting an ecological culture aimed at the population of San Juan del Rio, Querétaro whose conditions are difficult due to social disintegration caused mainly by low security and cultural interest in the population is proposed.The main objective is the recovery of the identity of the inhabitants, as well as creating an environmental and sustainable awareness of the region since the lack of awareness and environmental information is reflected in the ecological reserve spaces that the region has where you can observe great deterioration; as well as illegal activities on the part of young people and adults, giving a wrong example to generational young people, in addition to the fact that the lack of social awareness has been an important factor for the current situation of global warming since this world problem is eradicated by changing from culture at the social core.It is important to know who we are and to be able to have a starting point for the equality of our diversity in order to be able to live together without division by origin, skin tone, socioeconomic status, etc.One of the great problems of violence that exists today has been caused precisely by a lack of identity, given that young people between the ages of 11 and 20 cannot find the basic values and principles that govern any society anywhere, for which is necessary to find a symbiosis between the different artistic expressions in which youth can be interested
Selene Margarita Vazquez Soto, Miguel angel cruz domínguez Hernández, Jessica Garcia
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Urban-Rural Synergy Pathways: Exploring Human-Factor in Multifunctional Utilization of Urban Farmland Based on Rural Push-Pull Theory
In the context of ecological civilization construction, China's urbanization has officially entered its latter stage, highlighting the increasing contradiction between construction land and farmland protection. The nation has implemented the strictest farmland protection policies ever, mandating the preservation of the 1.8 billion-mu farmland red line in terms of both quantity and quality. Currently, the intertwined distribution of cities and farmland is commonplace, characterized by fragmented layouts and inefficient production. Furthermore, urban farmland areas generally suffer from crude management and low efficiency, leading to prominent issues of farmland conversion to non-agricultural and non-grain uses. Most farmland remains neglected, exhibiting a state of "scattered, disorganized, poor quality, and underdeveloped." In reality, these urban farmlands are closely linked to urban spaces and residents, possessing not only conventional production value but also substantial ecological, social, landscaping, and cultural humanistic service values yet to be unleashed.This study, grounded in the rural push-pull theory, innovatively establishes an inverse urbanization population attraction analysis model. It defines the synergistic connotations of three objective factors—policy push, business pull, and development resistance—in the composite utilization of urban farmland. Furthermore, it constructs a quantitative evaluation framework of "evaluation system-influencing factors." Empirical analysis based on this framework elucidates the internal logic of attracting urban populations to participate in consumption and production through composite utilization of urban farmland, revealing the interactive relationships between these three influencing factors and human behavior.Taking Ningbo ,China, a typical representative of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, as a case study, this research employs in-depth stakeholder interviews, questionnaires, and field surveys. The primary investigation targets include urban residents, farmers, government personnel, and farmland managers. Over 30 interviews were conducted, with 580 questionnaires distributed and 426 valid responses collected. The collected data were utilized for empirical analysis.The results indicate that: (1) Composite utilization of urban farmland necessitates the deep integration of functions, spaces, industries, and cultures to address issues in policy, management, and development. Through optimized policy management, coordinated urban-rural resource allocation, and innovative business philosophies, coordinated urban-rural development can be achieved. (2) Urban farmland leverages production to exert functional value, appends agricultural, cultural, and tourism elements to provide emotional value, and facilitates offline entertainment and online purchasing to create brand value. These three values complement each other, attracting urban populations and thereby promoting resource flows and population migration between cities and villages.This study explores the human factor mechanisms in the composite utilization of urban farmland. By enhancing the value of urban farmland and facilitating urban-rural resource and population flows through land circulation and income distribution mechanisms, it aims to increase farmers' incomes and promote sustainable, coordinated urban-rural development.
Yan Zhan, Yin Han, Jiandong Wei, Zhongguo Xu
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