Engaging in social interaction: relationships between the accessibility of path structure and intensity of passive social interaction in urban parks

Purpose – Functioning as space connectors, path structures in urban parks may rarely present social interaction opportunities, although centralized activity spaces are available. This paper investigated the interrelationships between the visual and physical accessibility attributes of path structure and their impacts on passive social interaction intensity across urban parks in Kuala Lumpur. Design/methodology/approach – The concept of social interaction has been studied elsewhere in social cohesion, social affiliation and sense of communication. Still, it has not been studied in the context of urban park design. This study employed mixed methods using an adaptive and unique combination of qualitative and quantitative data collections to analyze urban parks with a bit of visual vegetation barrier. The experiential landscape method was applied to determine visual accessibility by interpreting experiential landscape maps. The space syntax method based on quantitative analysis is considered to measure physical accessibilities and vigorous activities along the designated paths by conducting integration analysis and gate observation. The data were crossed-analyzed using a Geographic Information System (GIS) classification technique, correlation analysis and Microsoft combo-charts to generate the relationship between patterns of activities and their accessibilities. Findings – The results suggested that designated paths with higher accessibility attributes, impressively more elevated than other tracks, could influence the intensity of passive social interactions. The findings supported the understanding that activity nodes and active areas adjoining designated routes could make accessibility attribute areas more critical. These findings verify that visually enriching the spaces along the path structure toward activities is a pivotal contributor to urban planners and designers to enhance the paths’ local integration (LI) and visual accessibility to predict more passive eye contact among park visitors. Research limitations/implications – The proposed interrelationship among variables in this study has limitations because of not considering other qualitative methods and techniques like cognitive maps and interview simultaneously. These techniques could discover why some paths generate more passive eye contact among park users (Mohammadi Tahroodi, 2018). Practical implications – Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2020 emphasizes Kuala Lumpur’s unique image as a tropical garden city via preserving and developing the iconic historical urban parks in the city center (CHKL, 2004, pp. 3–3). The latest Draft Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2040 has outlined the strategy to achieve a conducive, good-quality neighborhood that encourages social interaction. The findings could assist urban planners and designers better public parks by considering accessibility and permeability aspects of design. This research endorses the appropriateness of interrelationship between accessibility attributes of path structure and social interaction in urban design research, which local urban designers have not fully considered until now. Evaluating the visual convenience of designated paths and assessing LI of the axial lines constructing each designated route of urban parks during the primary stage could enable urban designers to estimate to what extent the paths are accessible and respond to passive social interaction. Then they could enrich with salient landmarks, views and activity nodes to make them attractive. The considerable number of designated paths connections, specifically while they shape the sides of activity nodes, could increase the connectivity and integration of spaces within the parks. These patterns of positioning the activity nodes make the designated routes more legible and provide ease of movement. As a result, it will give urban park users more information about the activities. Allowing people to use the paths will increase people’s presence and, subsequently, passive social interaction. One way is to locate accessible lands that provide social activities at direct visual access paths within urban parks for legibility. Social implications – The socially responsive urban design enhances the quality of life and provides life satisfaction, happiness and society’s overall health. Being in urban social parks in any passive and active situations has psychological benefits. It facilitates relief and rests from a stressful modern lifestyle that significantly impacts their mental health and well-being. The framework applied in this research integrates the social, spatial and physical aspects of parks design. With this regard, principles and indicators facilitate physically and socially attractive urban parks for Kuala Lumpur city center and applicable to similar contexts elsewhere. Originality/value – The concept of social interaction has been studied elsewhere in social cohesion, social affiliation and sense of communication. Still, it has not been studied in the context of urban park design. This study employed mixed methods using an adaptive and unique combination of qualitative and quantitative data collections to analyze urban parks with a bit of visual vegetation barrier

The influence of sensation of orientation on urban park visitation

A sensation of orientation is a sense that provides way-finding ability and seamless experience of urban spaces including public parks. This paper examines the relationship between the sensation of orientation attributes and urban park visitation pattern. The sampling areas of the study are the Taman Tasik Titiwangsa (TTT) and the Perdana Botanical Garden (PBG), located in the city center of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The study applied photo questionnaires survey involving 330 park users to determine the extent of place engagement in Activity Nodes (ANs), familiarity with legible elements, and the purpose of visiting the parks. Statistical-graphical analysis verifies that social activity is the primary purpose of visiting the parks, which is highly related to the extent of familiarity with Activity Nodes (ANs) and place engagement. The findings inform the importance of legible elements and social activities in designing urban parks to increase place attraction and to encourage park visitation

Impact of social imageability on intensity of passive social interaction along designated paths within urban parks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Underutilized parks in Kuala Lumpur showed the fact that the design of these areas could not serve as a responsive social public space. However, Kuala Lumpur seeks to establish itself as one of the top twenty most imageable cities in the world by the year 2020. Therefore, there is an emphasis on developing urban design guidelines toward regenerating existing urban parks and also developing new parks to meet this aim. The aim of the study is to enhance social interaction through examining the impact of social imageability attributes comprising legibility, accessibility, sensation of orientation and sensation of center on the Intensity of Passive Social Interaction (IPSI) within path structures of Lake Garden Park (LGP) and Titiwangsa Lake Park (TLP) located in Kuala Lumpur city center. A mixed method research strategy is adapted to develop a framework to predict the Intensity of Passive Social Interaction (IPSI) through determining the correlation among social imageability attributes. Accordingly, experiential landscape maps were produced and interpreted to determine the levels of legibility of the parks. Then, integration analysis and gate observation were used to ascertain the levels of accessibility and the Intensity of Passive Social Interaction (IPSI) respectively. Finally, the study applied 330 photo survey questionnaires from urban park users to determine, the extent of sensation of orientation and, the extent of sensation of center. The study hypothesized that there is a significant relationship among social imageability attributes within path structures of urban parks. Both quantitative and qualitative data were related to generate the findings of the research. The correlation value of more than 0.6 for each of two social imageability attributes verifies that these attributes are highly correlated with each other. This association highlights the relevance of social imageability in influencing place experience within public realm. Therefore, it is recommended that the design of the designated paths with landmarks and possible views to be enriched, thus increasing the experience of these paths via activities. This could be achieved by locating activity nodes at the proximity of designated paths. It is also important to allocate active and accessible land uses at direct visual access of park users. It is also suggested that urban designers to empower activity nodes with sensation of center through offering diversity of activities and visual attractiveness and providing comfortable places to sit, spend time, meet friends and interact with strangers. The study proposes to apply proper distance for each designated path (25 to 100 meter) providing eye contact among people, along with avoiding using sharp angles. In addition, boundary of urban parks should be made permeable. A multiple linear regression framework that predicts the Intensity of Passive Social Interaction (IPSI) indicates that the enhancement of accessibility value, sensation of center and sensation of orientation will increase the intensity of dynamic social activities generating passive eye contact among urban park users. The findings of this study contribute in making urban places more imageable for social interaction to take place more intensely and frequently. Thus encourage the users to experience the entire urban park with ease and enjoyment