A Study on the Spatial Perception and Inclusive Characteristics of Outdoor Activity Spaces in Residential Areas for Diverse Populations from the Perspective of All-Age Friendly Design

With the transformation of urban development patterns and profound changes in population structure in China, outdoor activity spaces in residential areas are facing common issues such as obsolete infrastructure, insufficient barrier-free facilities, and intergenerational conflicts, which severely im...

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Main Authors: Biao Yin, Lijun Wang, Yuan Xu, Kiang Chye Heng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Buildings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/6/895
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author Biao Yin
Lijun Wang
Yuan Xu
Kiang Chye Heng
author_facet Biao Yin
Lijun Wang
Yuan Xu
Kiang Chye Heng
author_sort Biao Yin
collection DOAJ
description With the transformation of urban development patterns and profound changes in population structure in China, outdoor activity spaces in residential areas are facing common issues such as obsolete infrastructure, insufficient barrier-free facilities, and intergenerational conflicts, which severely impact residents’ quality of life and hinder high-quality urban development. Guided by the principles of all-age friendly and inclusive design, this study innovatively integrates eye-tracking and multi-modal physiological monitoring technologies to collect both subjective and objective perception data of different age groups regarding outdoor activity spaces in residential areas through human factor experiments and empirical interviews. Machine learning methods are utilized to analyze the data, uncovering the differentiated response mechanisms among diverse groups and clarifying the inclusive characteristics of these spaces. The findings reveal that: (1) Common Demands: All groups prioritize spatial features such as unobstructed views, adequate space, diverse landscapes, proximity accessibility, and smooth pavement surfaces, with similar levels of concern. (2) Differentiated Characteristics: Children place greater emphasis on environmental familiarity and children’s play facilities, while middle-aged and elderly groups show heightened concern for adequate space, efficient parking management, and barrier-free facilities. (3) Technical Validation: Heart Rate Variability (HRV) was identified as the core perception indicator for spatial inclusivity through dimensionality reduction using Self-Organizing Maps (SOM), and the Extra Trees model demonstrated superior performance in spatial inclusivity prediction. By integrating multi-group perception data, standardizing experimental environments, and applying intelligent data mining, this study achieves multi-modal data fusion and in-depth analysis, providing theoretical and methodological support for precisely optimizing outdoor activity spaces in residential areas and advancing the development of all-age friendly communities.
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spelling doaj-art-fb9042c68d3e478cb6f424537ead221d2025-08-20T03:43:26ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-03-0115689510.3390/buildings15060895A Study on the Spatial Perception and Inclusive Characteristics of Outdoor Activity Spaces in Residential Areas for Diverse Populations from the Perspective of All-Age Friendly DesignBiao Yin0Lijun Wang1Yuan Xu2Kiang Chye Heng3School of Architecture, Tianjin University, No. 92, Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, ChinaSchool of Architecture, Tianjin University, No. 92, Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, ChinaSchool of Architecture, Tianjin University, No. 92, Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, ChinaCollege of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Block EA, #06-16, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117575, SingaporeWith the transformation of urban development patterns and profound changes in population structure in China, outdoor activity spaces in residential areas are facing common issues such as obsolete infrastructure, insufficient barrier-free facilities, and intergenerational conflicts, which severely impact residents’ quality of life and hinder high-quality urban development. Guided by the principles of all-age friendly and inclusive design, this study innovatively integrates eye-tracking and multi-modal physiological monitoring technologies to collect both subjective and objective perception data of different age groups regarding outdoor activity spaces in residential areas through human factor experiments and empirical interviews. Machine learning methods are utilized to analyze the data, uncovering the differentiated response mechanisms among diverse groups and clarifying the inclusive characteristics of these spaces. The findings reveal that: (1) Common Demands: All groups prioritize spatial features such as unobstructed views, adequate space, diverse landscapes, proximity accessibility, and smooth pavement surfaces, with similar levels of concern. (2) Differentiated Characteristics: Children place greater emphasis on environmental familiarity and children’s play facilities, while middle-aged and elderly groups show heightened concern for adequate space, efficient parking management, and barrier-free facilities. (3) Technical Validation: Heart Rate Variability (HRV) was identified as the core perception indicator for spatial inclusivity through dimensionality reduction using Self-Organizing Maps (SOM), and the Extra Trees model demonstrated superior performance in spatial inclusivity prediction. By integrating multi-group perception data, standardizing experimental environments, and applying intelligent data mining, this study achieves multi-modal data fusion and in-depth analysis, providing theoretical and methodological support for precisely optimizing outdoor activity spaces in residential areas and advancing the development of all-age friendly communities.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/6/895residential outdoor activity spacespatial perceptionhuman factor experimentall-age friendlyinclusive design
spellingShingle Biao Yin
Lijun Wang
Yuan Xu
Kiang Chye Heng
A Study on the Spatial Perception and Inclusive Characteristics of Outdoor Activity Spaces in Residential Areas for Diverse Populations from the Perspective of All-Age Friendly Design
Buildings
residential outdoor activity space
spatial perception
human factor experiment
all-age friendly
inclusive design
title A Study on the Spatial Perception and Inclusive Characteristics of Outdoor Activity Spaces in Residential Areas for Diverse Populations from the Perspective of All-Age Friendly Design
title_full A Study on the Spatial Perception and Inclusive Characteristics of Outdoor Activity Spaces in Residential Areas for Diverse Populations from the Perspective of All-Age Friendly Design
title_fullStr A Study on the Spatial Perception and Inclusive Characteristics of Outdoor Activity Spaces in Residential Areas for Diverse Populations from the Perspective of All-Age Friendly Design
title_full_unstemmed A Study on the Spatial Perception and Inclusive Characteristics of Outdoor Activity Spaces in Residential Areas for Diverse Populations from the Perspective of All-Age Friendly Design
title_short A Study on the Spatial Perception and Inclusive Characteristics of Outdoor Activity Spaces in Residential Areas for Diverse Populations from the Perspective of All-Age Friendly Design
title_sort study on the spatial perception and inclusive characteristics of outdoor activity spaces in residential areas for diverse populations from the perspective of all age friendly design
topic residential outdoor activity space
spatial perception
human factor experiment
all-age friendly
inclusive design
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/6/895
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