Title: | Restorative Environmental Design for Densifying Cities |
Author: | |
Advisor: | Nicole Gurran Terry Hartig |
Date: | 2013 |
Language: | English |
University/Institute: | University of Sydney |
Department: | Faculty of Architecture, Design & Planning |
Subject: | Umhverfissálfræði; Þéttbýli; Skipulagsmál; Doktorsritgerðir |
URI: | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/453 |
Citation:Páll Jakob Líndal.(2013). Restorative Environmental Design for Densifying Cities (doktorsritgerð). University of Sydney, Sydney
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Abstract:The urban population around the world is growing rapidly. Although increasing
urbanization has positive aspects, it has also raised concerns about environmental, economic and
social sustainability. As response, some design and planning solutions emphasize greater
densification of urban areas. Research has however not been able to show that urban density
enhances sustainability in a consistent manner. One possible explanation might be the neglect of
psychological factors within the compact city practice. Restorative environmental design (RED)
that builds in part on theory and empirical research concerned with restorative environments is
one approach to addressing this problem. To date, however, the empirical results behind RED as
applied to urban densification are quite limited, and the purpose of this thesis work is to provide
more empirical substance to reinforce the foundation of RED for use in this context.
This work is based on four papers. The first paper is an introduction to the restoration
perspective on human-environment relations in general and to research on environmental
supports for psychological restoration more specifically. It provides a starting point for the
empirical work in this thesis by identifying some specific research gaps with regard to the
restorative potential of urban environments. The three remaining papers report a sequence of
empirical studies that focus on specific physical components and characteristics that affect the
restorative potential of urban streetscapes. Taking guidance from the preference literature when
choosing relevant characteristics, the first two of the remaining papers report the results of
studies that used digitally created static images to present streetscapes in which different
characteristics had been systematically manipulated. Aggregate ratings for the respective image sets were obtained from adult Icelanders through an internet-based procedure. The results of
multiple-mediator regression analyses found architectural variation (presented as entropy),
number of street trees, their arrangement along the street, presence of flowers, and presence of
grass to positively affect ratings of the likelihood of restoration, with the effects mediated by one
or both of the restorative quality variables being away and fascination. The results also
demonstrated a negative effect of building height on judgments of restoration likelihood, as
mediated by a reduced sense of being away.
In a third study, reported in the fourth paper, ratings of restoration likelihood obtained in
the earlier empirical studies were found to predict actual restoration experienced by members of
a separate sample. Two three-dimensional interactive virtual neighbourhoods were constructed
from streetscapes that in the two previous studies had differed in term of restoration likelihood.
Participants who “walked” through the low restoration likelihood neighbourhood showed a
negative shift in affective balance while those who navigated through the higher restoration
likelihood neighbourhood showed a positive shift in affective balance. This effect became
stronger after adjustment for the participants’ own perceptions of restorative quality (being away
and fascination) in the assigned streetscape.
The results of this dissertation work show that the restorative potential of residential
urban environments depends on specific architectural components and design characteristics,
which indicates the relevance of RED for densifying cities. The results provide guidance for the
design of more psychologically sustainable urban residential environments. The studies also
demonstrate strategies for using digital imaging and virtual technologies in pursuing the further
research that is needed in this area to strengthen the empirical foundations of RED. Finally, this work encourages authorities and practitioners to apply a restoration perspective in their efforts to
create urban environments that are sustainable not only in ecologic terms, but also in terms of
basic human needs.
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