Research

This study explores cognitive regions and boundaries in urban environments, focusing on commercial cognitive regions in Shanghai. We integrate space syntax measures with social perceptions derived from social media data, proposing a space-syntax-adjusted clustering method (ssx_AggCluster) that builds on the concepts of 'pervasive centres' and 'fuzzy boundaries'. The approach incorporates commercial Points of Interest (POI) data into street network models and successfully classified over 60% of POI points, demonstrating that spatial configuration plays a significant role in shaping human perception of named places in urban contexts.

Authors: Demin Hu, Stephen Law, Kimon Krenz & Kayvan Karimi

This study leverages space syntax methodology, visual impression of architectural spaces (VIAS) research, and eye-tracking technology to explore the linkage between the spatial configuration of urban spaces and their visual impression during moments of "Oku", an abstract architectural concept in Japan describing a sense of curiosity and depth. We examine how spaces with longer isovists (greater depth), higher occlusivity (curiosity), and visibility can potentially stimulate greater visual attention. Through collecting gaze data from human subjects and calculating visibility graph analytical measures, our exploratory results indicate associations between VIAS and space syntax visibility graph metrics, highlighting the complexities of connecting visual perceptions with the spatial layout of built environments.

Authors: Stephen Law, Yuval Kahlon, Zicheng Fan, Michal Gath-Morad, Demin Hu, Yao Shen, Takuya Oki, Yen Khang Nguyen-Tran, Ryo Murata, Naya Marsatyasti, Haruyuki Fujii