Twelfth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

Underground space, which has the potential to relieve the city by reducing noise, improving air quality or providing higher efficiency of the land use, significantly contributes to the urban development of many contemporary metropolises. The subsurface location of the facilities characterized by high human activity brings, however, many concerns predominantly related to its users’ personal experience. Being underground may evoke fears and anxieties, disturb cognitive and physiological reactions, and affect personal safety. This paper examines to what extend spatial characteristics, specific to underground metro stations, influence users’ experience measured by the subjective indicators of comfort and safety. The research combines survey data collected among 1400 users with spatial data obtained from space syntax analyses and filed investigation of 28 underground metro stations located in Warsaw, Poland. Based on the results of multiple regression analysis it identifies a set of spatial features affecting users’ comfort and safety. The results indicate that humans’ experience is shaped by the number of architectural characteristics of metro stations as well as their accessibility, position in the city and in the neighborhood. The most influencing architectural features include configuration of public zone, followed by geometry of platform hall and use of art elements. Based on the results presented in the study, potential design strategies that could improve peoples’ experience are proposed and discussed. Recommended approaches provide important information for designers to enable improvement of existing and better design of new underground metro stations.