Measuring the relationship between spatial configuration, diversity and user behavior: A Post Occupancy Evaluation study in Istanbul’s peripheral districts
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Date
2020Author
Özbil Torun, AyşeYeşiltepe, Demet
Erten, Sertaç
Özer, Özlem
Gürleyen, Tuğçe
Zünbüloğlu, Ezgi
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Show full item recordAbstract
Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) is a robust tool to systematically evaluate the effects
of design decisions on spatial performance and to identify the relationship between
the space and its users. Although there is a growing body of POE research on complex
buildings, such as hospitals and education spaces, studies on the POE evaluation of
public open spaces are limited. More importantly, few studies have investigated public
squares designed at the periphery and how they are used.
This study aims to identify the extent to which spatial configuration of public squares
is related to users’ behavior (i.e., modes/distances of access, level of satisfaction). For
this purpose, we focused on four peripheral urban squares located in Istanbul, Turkey.
The methodology applied in the study includes a synthesis of three types of expertise:
1) behavioral mapping of urban squares (through the analysis of patterns of use based
on direct observation), 2) cognitive evaluation of spaces based on perceived factors
(through user questionnaires), and 3) quantifying urban public spaces objectively
(through the methodology of space syntax and urban morphology).
The results identify associations between objective characteristics of public spaces
designed at the peripheral districts, patterns of use and users’ perception of these
areas, to a certain extent. For example, the variety and intensity of activities within
the square as well as the length of occupancy are highest for Avcılar square, which is
most integrated within its urban surroundings with reduced average block size. An
important finding is the association between the average street connectivity levels of
these squares with their pedestrian catchment areas. In other words, the more
integrated a public urban space is with its surroundings (800mt buffers), its users will
access this space on foot from a larger distance. Based on these findings, spatial
configuration as measured by space syntax measures appears to be an explanatory
measure assessing the potentiality of public open spaces for bringing users together,
hence, creating a lively, well-used space. However, the results also point to some
disagreements between the perceived (users’ evaluations) and objective (syntactic
analysis) measurements, which indicate that both types of measurements are needed
in POE research of public spaces.
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