Speaker
Description
Haoyue Zhu, Jie Yin*
Abstract：
The rapid urbanization process and decreasing opportunities for human-nature interactions have intensified global concerns about mental health. While biophilic design is widely acknowledged for its potential to support psychological restoration, the dominance of vision in human perception often leads to the neglect of other sensory modalities in design, particularly the role of active tactile engagement. Research has gradually demonstrated the interdependence of human senses, highlighting that the effects of multisensory stimuli are not merely additive. To address this gap, we systematically investigate the impact of visual-auditory interactions on restorative environments, emphasizing how the incorporation of tactile stimuli influences restorative outcomes in different types of urban community green spaces, using Shanghai’s Hongxu Habitat Garden as a case study.
We conducted a 35-minute on-site experiment to explore how visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli affect restorative experiences and sensory comfort across diverse urban green spaces. Participants underwent a 10-minute standardized stress-induction task before entering the experimental site for a 7-minute environmental experience, followed by questionnaire completion. Throughout the process, physiological data were continuously monitored using wearable POLAR sensors. The experiment involved five groups: a roadway control group, and groups exposed to visual-auditory and visual-auditory-tactile stimuli in two different green space types (i.e., activity-oriented green spaces and recreation-oriented green spaces). Activity-oriented green spaces were characterized by vibrant colors, low-growing vegetation, water features, and diverse tactile elements like flowers, water, pebbles, wooden stakes, and tree bark. Recreation-oriented green spaces, in contrast, featured tall and dense vegetation, muted tones, a sense of enclosure, and tactile opportunities such as walking on grass, sitting under trees, or hugging them. Both types of green spaces shared a natural soundscape dominated by birdsong, wind, and rustling leaves, with highway noise mitigated by sound barriers. Subjective data were collected through standardized questionnaires (e.g., Perceived Restorativeness Scale [PRS], State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI]), while physiological data were captured using POLAR wearable sensors. A total of 96 valid questionnaires and 87 physiological datasets were analyzed to explore the dynamic restorative effects of community green spaces.
Results demonstrate that recreation-oriented green spaces significantly outperform activity-oriented green spaces in promoting restorative effects, particularly when tactile stimuli are introduced. Tactile interactions notably enhance the dimensions of Being Away and Compatibility—two critical indicators in the PRS—in recreation-oriented green spaces, fostering a sense of mental detachment from daily stressors and alignment with user needs. However, in activity-oriented green spaces, tactile stimuli exhibit mixed effects. The analysis further reveals that tactile stimuli amplify the impact of visual and auditory comfort in recreation-oriented green spaces, creating synergistic effects, while occasionally disrupting auditory comfort in activity-oriented green spaces.
Additionally, personal preferences for natural environments were strongly correlated with improved restorative outcomes. Interestingly, the study identified a nontraditional pathway for managing state anxiety: roadway environments, although less restorative than green spaces, offered unique psychological recovery benefits for certain high-anxiety individuals.
This study emphasizes the critical interplay between multisensory biophilic design and psychological restoration, providing actionable insights for sustainable urban design. By integrating these findings into urban policies and design practices, urban community green spaces can advance transformative actions that foster mental health and well-being.
| Keywords | Biophilic Design; Multisensory Interaction; Experimental research; Psychological Restoration |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
