Perception of transitional areas was associated with mental health, perceived workload and fatigue in office Buildings.
Not only the design of the office, but the connected corridor, matter.
Personality may cause an employee to be more vulnerable or more resilient to the work environment.
"It is quite common in architectural practice to create contrasts between different spaces. This is a potential design intervention meant to provide exceptional user experience or to highlight a main functional room. The present study offers some indicative results suggesting the opposite: higher levels of overall perceived difference between transitional areas and workspaces have negative effects on the variables examined. In other words, the two spaces should not be disconnected in terms of architectural design or environmental characteristics This result could offer a basis for future research investigating the parameters that should be emphasized when designing smooth transitions between different spaces."
Tan, Z., Roberts, A. C., Lee, E. H., Kwok, K. W., Car, J., Soh, C. K., & Christopoulos, G. (2020). Transitional areas affect perception of workspaces and employee well-being: A study of underground and above-ground workspaces. Building and Environment, 179, 106840.
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Microclimate and thermal comfort showed different correlations in
different urban settings.
Subjective perceptions are moderated by seemingly unrelated parameters, such as the acoustic environment, air quality and appreciation of urban landscape.
"Perceived environmental quality including air quality, acoustic environment, site accessibility and aesthetic quality showed significant, positive moderating effects on the associations
between microclimate variables and subjective assessment thermal comfort. Positive perception of environmental quality of the mentioned aspects strengthens the contribution of
microclimate variables to outdoor thermal comfort or subjective assessment on thermal environment, i.e. high sensitivity to microclimate determinant was shown.
Such finding provides further evidence on the complementary interaction between physical environmental and psychological effects in regards of outdoor thermal comfort"
Tan, Z., Chung, S. C., Roberts, A. C., & Lau, K. K. L. (2019). Design for climate resilience: influence of environmental conditions on thermal sensation in subtropical high-density cities. Architectural Science Review, 62(1), 3-13.
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Greenery and individual control over the environment can be compensation design measures for the windowless environment in underground spaces.
Previous experience in underground spaces and even regional culture had an impact on the perception of underground spaces.
"During the interview, indoor air quality was the most mentioned aspect, and over 50% of interviewees in three cities (Fuzhou, Nanjing, Beijing), commented on the poor air quality in their underground work space. The most problematic areas identified were the subordinate spaces such as storage rooms.
Some of the major problems of working underground include the lack of natural light and reduced environmental stimulation because of lack of windows. The interviewees considered certain design measures a compensation for the windowless workspace. For example, staff...commented the underground office was not a big issue for them as they had immediate access to an aboveground greenery landscape. Staff working in underground MRT station also expressed their preference for indoor greenery as a decoration. Furthermore, the interview indicated that they used the condition of the plants in the workplace as a proxy to the indoor environmental conditions and even to their (interviewees) own health.
Individual control over the workspace such as an adjustable cooling system was also considered as a compensatory mechanism for the underground environment. On the other hand, the interview results also indicated that apart from the underground environment itself, other factors such as previous working experience and regional culture had an impact on the perception of underground spaces."
Tan, Z., Roberts, A. C., Christopoulos, G. I., Kwok, K. W., Car, J., Li, X., & Soh, C. K. (2018). Working in underground spaces: architectural parameters, perceptions and thermal comfort measurements. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 71, 428-439.
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Health aspects, such as mobility, affected elders’ use of and willingness to travel to urban green spaces.
Subgroups of elders with differing needs were identified based on demographic variables.
"this study suggests that older adults’ perceptions and preferences for urban green spaces are influenced by health status. Perceived safety in the urban green spaces showed a positive correlation with several self-reported health indicators . Such relationships are particularly significant in older adults living alone. These results are in line with several studies indicating that people in poor health or with low social support perceive the environment as more challenging. Older adults in poor health and with reduced mobility are less capable of coping with potential safety risks that may occur in public spaces, which contributes to a sense of insecurity. Older adults with various self-reported health statuses showed different preferences for the settings of UGSs, such as places to stay, views, and atmosphere.
It was also noticeable that older adults tend to have more social interactions and stay in groups in the UGS in public housing estates than in street resting gardens. Such results suggest different design approaches for different types of UGSs. These results also reiterate the importance of diversity to accommodate the different needs of older adults."
Tan, Z., Lau, K. K. L., Roberts, A. C., Chao, S. T. Y., & Ng, E. (2019). Designing urban green spaces for older adults in Asian cities. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(22), 4423.
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