M.Arch, IIT Roorkee 2017-19
Research- The psychological Impact of Urban Streetscapes
Supervisor : Dr.Tina Pujara

Abstract

In an attempt to strengthen the idea of evidence based design of urban areas. This research studies human emotional responses in Sarojini Nagar Market as a nuance of behaviour shaped by psychological cognition and influenced by the urban spatial properties. Also not neglecting the fact that a significant part of human psychology is shaped and based around his own individual conditions which have nothing to do with urban design. We discuss these with the understanding of intertwined disciplines such as cognitive psychology, environmental psychology, and behavioural Sciences in order to get a detailed insight of human behaviour in urban context. This research also recognizes the validation of subjective and qualitative research methods from cognitive psychology and statistics against physiological-quantitative research methodologies (which are beyond the scope of this research) which will be trending with modern scientific methods and this research tries to record up to what extent these environmental properties relate to the users’ cognition and psychological perception of city streetscape.

The Aim

 The aim of this research was to establish a relationship between the attributes of the Streetscape and the effects or impression of that streetscape in shape of environment appraisal on the human mind.

 Site and Study: The process

 Sarojini Nagar Market offers a diverse range of streetscapes typology for our study. Narrow and wide streetscapes, Streetscapes with greenery on one side and

building on the other, paths which have buildings on both sides, a highly pedestrianized zone where no vehicle is seen, ample crowd, diverse footfall, almost all age group of people, diverse cultural groups and economic or social group. This market caters to all levels of users from LIG to HIG. An upgraded form of typical Bazar. Length of routes of all the streetscapes was between 165 m to 250 m, which gives us roughly around 1220m of length in total to walk through and it would take around 15 to 20 minute to casually walk around the whole market.

In order to obtain meaningful data sets from the users. Simple Survey Questionnaires, Walking Interviews and Building Façade Activation + Entries were used as research instruments. 

Participants were taken on a walk in the predefined streetscape situation, which had different spatial settings, sequences and situations. During their walk, their subjective user experience was recorded on a semantic scale of emotional responses.

Research Outcome: the synthesis

Primarily this research establishes a strong relationship between the cognitive perceptions of the place to the geometrical setting of the urban form. And also defines a parallel similarity between different spatial setup which are adjectively defined as whether being Ordered or Chaotic or Being Enclosed or Open.

Secondarily, this research also showed parallel correlation with the intuitive and formative understanding of façade activation by Master Architect Jan Gehl to that which was obtained from cognitive appraisal of the urban setting.

Literature reports that although there has been relatively limited urban and regional research in the new emerging interdisciplinary field of happiness, it is progressively being recognized that there is enormous potential for social and behavioral scientists to add a spatial dimension to it by identifying characteristics and factors of cities and regions that affect subjective happiness and well-being measures. Infact Leyden, K.M. et al (2011) hypothesize that the way cities and city neighborhoods are designed and maintained can have a significant impact on the happiness of its communities. The key reasons they suggest for this hypothesis are that places can facilitate human social connections and relationships. Literature on happiness studies clearly indicates the positive influence of social relations on the happiness levels of humans. In this regard, Bellebaum, A. and Klaus, B. (1997) (as cited in Haller, M. and Hadler, M. 2006) discuss the philosophy and findings of Scottish philosopher, David Hume. They report that for David Hume, the pursuit of happiness, a fundamental human goal, can be attained only in connection with other people. Also, based on research on the link between happiness and urban design, Charles Montgomery (2014) reports that the most powerful ingredient for human happiness after one has met the basic needs is the social aspect.