Mitigating Urban Emotional Alienation through Multisensory Design: A Human Factors Evaluation of an Installation-Based Intervention

Abstract

High-density urbanization often prioritizes efficiency at the expense of emotional well-being, creating homogeneous environments that lack affordances for sensory restoration and reinforce urban alienation. This study applies a human factors lens to the problem of affective ergonomics, examining how multisensory cues can be embedded within existing infrastructure to mitigate stress and foster emotional connection. In contrast to research focused on accessing "real nature," this project investigates low-cost interventions utilizing material reuse and phased sound modulation in resource-constrained contexts. The prototype integrates three coupled mechanisms—material agency (discarded glass, plaster, and wire), sonic narrative (an industrial-to-natural transition), and spatial choreography—to structure attentional sequencing. A mixed-methods evaluation was conducted employing an in-situ exposure protocol, behavioral tracking (dwell time), and semi-structured interviews. Results reveal three key patterns: (1) participants consistently reported feeling "settled" following the auditory transition, aligning with a stress-reduction trajectory; (2) material contrasts were interpreted as "painful yet hopeful," indicating the system's capacity to support complex narrative construction beyond aesthetic preference; and (3) increased dwell time during low-arousal phases provided behavioral evidence of sustained engagement and attentional restoration. These findings inform design guidelines for multisensory urban interventions, demonstrating how phase-based sensory cues can be strategically employed to regulate affective load in dense urban environments.

Keywords: Affective Ergonomics, Urban Alienation, Affective Load, Human-centered Design, Mixed-methods Evaluation.

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007349