Multi-sensory evaluation of urban design in creating obesity encouraging environments: The experience of town centres in Auckland, New Zealand

Frontiers in Sustainable Cities

Sustainable Cities

Lee Beattie¹  Wen Liu¹  Jayesh Parekh² 

[1] School of Architecture and Planning, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand;Tamaki Regeneration Company, Auckland, New Zealand;Auckland Design Office (Tamaki Makaurau Design Ope), Auckland Council, Auckland, New Zealand;

关键词: perceptual dimension;    multi-sensory experience;    urban design;    obesity;    land use diversity;    walkability;    Auckland;   

DOI  :  10.3389/frsc.2023.1178056

 received in 2023-03-02, accepted in 2023-09-21,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

This article presents a multi-sensory study on pedestrian activities in the public realm of two town centers in Auckland, New Zealand. We utilize mixed-method and multi-sensory evaluation methods, combined with sensory experience and activity mapping, to explore the effects of the obesity encouraging environment of town centers on the activity concentrations of pedestrians. We further discuss the influences of urban design and land use diversity on generating obesity encouraging environments of town centers. The article aims to provide a basis to initiate discussion around the importance of understanding the multiple-sensory experience of public space beyond merely sight sense which traditionally dominates urban design discipline. Furthermore, this article demonstrates the role and quality of sensory experience in shaping obesogenic behaviors within the built environment of two town centres; with a diversity of type and quality of land uses. It also highlights that the mere provision of urban morphology or built form factors linked with walking activities is not a precursor for healthier communities. Thus, the impacts of urban design and quality uses of the built environment on the multiple senses of the users should be considered in urban design research and practices.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Parekh, Liu and Beattie.