Search Results (316)

Street design quality and socio-economic factors jointly influence housing prices, but their intertwined effects and spatial variations remain under-quantified. Housing prices not only reflect residents’ neighborhood experiences but also stem from the spillover value of public streets perceived and used by different users. This study takes Tianjin as a case and views the street environment as an immediate experience proxy for through-travelers, combining street view images and crowdsourced perception data to extract both subjective and objective indicators of the street environment, and integrating neighborhood and location characteristics. We use Geographical-XGBoost to evaluate the relative contributions of multiple factors to housing prices and their spatial variations. The results show that incorporating both subjective and objective street information into the Hedonic Pricing Model (HPM) improves its explanatory power, while local modeling with G-XGBoost further reveals significant heterogeneity in the strength and direction of effects across different locations. The results indicate that incorporating both subjective and objective street information into the HPM enhances explanatory power, while local modeling with G-XGBoost reveals significant heterogeneity in the strength and direction of effects across different locations. Street greening, educational resources, and transportation accessibility are consistently associated with higher housing prices, but their strength varies by location. Core urban areas exhibit a “counterproductive effect” in terms of complexity and recognizability, while peripheral areas show a “barely acceptable effect,” which may increase cognitive load and uncertainty for through-travelers. In summary, street environments and socio-economic conditions jointly influence housing prices via a “corridor-side–community-side” dual-pathway: the former (enclosure, safety, recognizability) corresponds to immediate improvements for through-travelers, while the latter (education and public services) corresponds to long-term improvements for residents. Therefore, core urban areas should control design complexity and optimize human-scale safety cues, while peripheral areas should focus on enhancing public services and transportation, and meeting basic quality thresholds with green spaces and open areas. Urban renewal within a 15 min walking radius of residential areas is expected to collaboratively improve daily travel experiences and neighborhood quality for both residents and through-travelers, supporting differentiated housing policy development and enhancing overall quality of life. Full article

Background/Objectives: There is a paucity of research evaluating factors associated with healthy eating behaviors in reproductive-age, non-pregnant women. This study aims to examine the association between sociodemographic, perceived health, and environmental factors with fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption and adherence to dietary recommendations among women of reproductive age who lived, worked, or attended school in Flint, Michigan, during the Flint water crisis (April 2014–October 2015). Methods: This cross-sectional study used data collected from enrollment surveys completed by participants in the Flint Registry (December 2019–2021). Inclusion criteria were females aged 18–55 having complete data on sociodemographic indicator, general health perception, and dietary assessment data (n = 1239). Pearson chi-square measures of association were used to compare frequencies within groups between sociodemographic characteristics, perceived health and wellbeing (PHW), F&V quality/selection, adherence to recommendations, and total F&V intake. Results: Few participants met recommendations for fruits (22.8%) and vegetables (20.3%). Approximately 50.5% reported having access to a wide variety of F&Vs in their neighborhood and perceived F&V quality to be high. Factors significantly associated with meeting F&V recommendations included education, income, homeownership status, and PHW (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Associations between environmental and socioeconomic factors and daily F&V intake among women of reproductive age offer important considerations for designing interventions to improve this demographic’s nutritional status. Results indicate low adherence to recommended F&V intake but perceived access and quality as high in this population. Targeted interventions addressing key components of socioeconomic barriers, perceived access and quality, and perceived wellbeing are needed to improve F&V intake. Full article

This study investigates shopping behaviors for essential services among Black middle-class homeowners in Ward 8, Washington, D.C., a historically underinvested neighborhood experiencing a rise in Black homeownership. The research examines how these residents manage limited local retail options, address safety concerns, and evaluate quality perceptions when choosing where to shop. Using survey data from 58 homeowners, we categorized shopping patterns into Inside-only, Mixed, and Outside-only. Exploratory factor analysis identified three main motivational factors: Service & Quality, Access & Convenience, and Economic. Multinomial logistic regression showed that higher scores on the Access & Convenience factor significantly increased the likelihood of Outside-only shopping (OR = 1.67, p = 0.02), while residential tenure showed a non-significant trend toward predicting Mixed shopping. To explain these findings, we introduce the concept of the “Small Spatial World^TM,” an adaptation of Chatman’s Small World theory, to describe how routine spatial behaviors, not social networks, shape resource gathering in limited urban settings. These behaviors reflect the ongoing impact of racial capitalism and spatial disinvestment, which limit consumer choice even among middle-class residents. This research advances urban studies by uniquely examining the consumption patterns of Black middle-class homeowners in a racially homogenous yet structurally disinvested community, linking race, space, and class in daily consumption, and advocating for targeted retail investments to foster equitable, community-focused development. Full article

In the process of revitalizing historic districts, creating a healthy living environment requires a focus on the microclimate comfort of historic districts. Microclimate comfort refers to the comprehensive physiological perception and psychological satisfaction of climate elements such as heat, wind, and humidity under specific local environmental conditions, typically within a spatial range of horizontal scale < 100 m and vertical scale < 10 m. Among these, wind environment quality, as a key factor influencing pedestrian health experiences and cultural tourism appeal, holds particular research value. This study takes the Dabao Island Courtyard District in Qingdao as its subject, employing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation methods from the artificial intelligence (AI) technology framework for modeling. CFD is a numerical method based on computer simulation, which solves fluid control equations (such as the Navier–Stokes equations) through iterative optimization to achieve high-fidelity simulation of physical environments such as airflow, turbulence, and heat transfer. A three-dimensional geometric model of the Dabao Island courtyard district was established, and boundary conditions were set based on local meteorological data. Numerical simulations were conducted to analyze the wind environment before and after the renovation of different layouts, functional spaces, and spatial scales (individual courtyards, clustered courtyards, and surrounding neighborhoods) of the courtyard district. The results indicate that factors such as building layout, street orientation, and renovation strategies significantly influence the wind environment of the Dabao Island neighborhood courtyards, thereby affecting residents’ perceptions of wind comfort. For example, unreasonable building layouts can lead to excessive local wind speeds or vortex phenomena, reducing wind comfort, whereas reasonable renovation and update strategies can facilitate the introduction of wind corridors into the historical courtyard buildings, improving wind environment quality. This study contributes to better protection and utilization of traditional neighborhoods during urban renewal processes, creating a more comfortable wind environment for residents, providing scientific decision-making support for the renovation of historical neighborhoods under the Healthy China strategy, and offering methodological references for wind environment research in other similar traditional neighborhoods. Full article

Background/Objectives: Youth perceptions of their environments provide critical insight into the social and physical determinants of health. This study investigated how Hispanic and African American children conceptualize health within their neighborhood and school settings. Methods: A total of 44 participants (29 Hispanic, 15 African American; Mean age = 9.27 years, SD = 1.28 years) participated in a photovoice project, capturing photographs and quotes in response to two guiding prompts: (1) “What does your dream of a healthy community look like?” and (2) “What should we do to make your community healthier?” Results: Thematic analysis of participants’ quotes and photographs yielded four overarching themes across both neighborhood and school environments: (1) access to nutritious food options, (2) opportunities for physical activity and recreation, (3) clean and safe spaces, and (4) access to extracurricular and community-based programs. A fifth theme, emergency preparedness and response, emerged uniquely within school context. Participants also proposed context-specific solutions to address identified health concerns. Conclusions: These findings emphasize the importance of environmental context in shaping child and preadolescent health perceptions and priorities. The results support the development of children and adolescent-informed, community-level interventions aimed at improving environmental health conditions, particularly in underserved communities disproportionately affected by poverty and structural inequities. Full article

Tourism gentrification refers to the urban transformation process whereby middle-class neighborhoods evolve into affluent enclaves through leisure and tourism development, significantly impacting urban regeneration and spatial planning. This empirical study adopted Hefei’s Lei Street as an exploratory case to construct a hypothetical model involving tourists’ perception of tourism gentrification, tourist satisfaction, and tourists’ value co-creation behavior. A model was designed to examine the impact of urban tourism gentrification on tourists’ value co-creation behaviors, with its validity subsequently verified through SPSS 20.0 and Amos 23.0 software. The findings revealed that tourists’ perception of tourism gentrification positively affected tourist satisfaction and tourists’ value co-creation behavior and tourist satisfaction positively affected tourist participation behavior. From a practical perspective, this study endeavored to provide urban planners and destination managers with actionable insights to enhance visitor experiences while addressing the challenges posed by gentrification. It further sought to facilitate advancements in urban tourism, urban renewal, and land-use planning, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of Hefei. Methodologically, it also advances the application of structural equation modeling in tourism geography studies and provides replicable protocols for similar urban transformation research. Full article

Urban livability and sustainability are increasingly studied at the neighborhood scale, where built, social, and governance conditions shape residents’ everyday experiences. Yet existing assessment frameworks often fail to integrate subjective perceptions with multi-dimensional environmental indicators in replicable and scalable ways. To address this gap, this study develops an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)-informed framework for evaluating perceived environmental quality in urban communities. Using Baidu Street View imagery—selected due to its comprehensive coverage of Chinese urban areas—and Point of Interest (POI) data, we analyze seven communities in Shenyang, China, selected for their diversity in built form and demographic context. Kernel Density Analysis and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) are applied to derive latent ESG-related spatial dimensions. These are then correlated with Place Pulse 2.0 perception scores using Spearman analysis to assess subjective livability. Results show that environmental and social factors—particularly greenery visibility—are strongly associated with favorable perceptions, while governance-related indicators display weaker or context-specific relationships. The findings highlight the differentiated influence of ESG components, with environmental openness and walkability emerging as key predictors of perceived livability. By integrating pixel-level spatial features with perception metrics, the proposed framework offers a scalable and transferable tool for human-centered neighborhood evaluation, with implications for planning strategies that align with how residents experience urban environments. Full article

This exploratory pilot study examined how Latine adolescents’ ethnic–racial identity (ERI)—specifically, centrality, private regard, and public regard—was shaped by parents’ gender role socialization (GRS) beliefs and perceptions of neighborhood connectedness and problems. Sixty Latine parent–adolescent dyads living in a Northeastern new destination context participated. Hierarchical regression models were used to test whether GRS beliefs moderated the effects of neighborhood on adolescents’ ERI. Traditional GRS beliefs moderated associations between neighborhood problems and ERI dimensions, such that adolescents whose parents endorsed stronger traditional GRS beliefs reported lower ERI centrality, private regard, and public regard in neighborhoods with more problems. These associations were not significant for neighborhood connectedness and did not differ by child gender. Findings suggest that parent beliefs about gender may shape identity development in environments perceived as risky or under-resourced. The context-dependent nature of socialization and the adaptive nature of parenting processes in emerging Latine communities are discussed. Full article

Because urban retail faces challenges in sustaining vitality and viability, risking decay in urban centers, retail space resilience (RSR) has become a pressing concern. Retail location presents an opportunity because it aligns with RSR in maximizing store vitality and adopting a long-term perspective. This study uses PLS-SEM to examine the complex impact mechanism of retail location attributes (LAs) on retail space resilience (RSR), based on 304 retail spaces in central Shanghai. LAs and RSR are assessed based on a metrics system, followed by Random Forest for variable selection. An impact pathway framework grounded in key theoretical models is then constructed. The results from the PLS-SEM analysis show that Amenity exerts the strongest direct influence on RSR (β = 0.383), followed by Agglomeration (β = 0.294) and Accessibility (β = 0.291), while the results of the mediation effect further reveal that RSR is primarily shaped by consumers’ trip-chaining behaviors, with agglomeration effects and the spatial interaction model playing secondary roles. Notably, the scale of the retail space negatively affects RSR (β = −0.016), suggesting that large retail centers may be less resilient due to weaker consumer attachment. Overall, our research suggests that consumers’ perceptions and behaviors play key roles in RSR. Based on this insight, this study proposes placemaking strategies aimed at fostering consumer attachment and developing neighborhood-oriented retail nodes aligned with consumers’ preferences. Full article

Urban tree planting on single-family-home lots represents a critical yet underexplored component of municipal greening strategies. This study examines residents’ perceptions of tree planting in Westpointe, a diverse neighborhood in Salt Lake City, Utah, as part of the city’s Reimagine Nature Public Lands Master Plan development effort. Through a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative interviews (n = 24) and a tree signup initiative extended to 86 residents, with 51 participating, this research explores the complex interplay of demographic, economic, social, and infrastructure factors influencing residents’ willingness to plant trees on single-family-home lots. The findings reveal significant variations based on gender, with women expressing more positive environmental and aesthetic motivations, while men focused on practical concerns including maintenance and property damage. Age emerged as another critical factor, with older adults (65+) expressing concerns about long-term maintenance capabilities, while younger families (25–44) demonstrated future-oriented thinking about shade and property values. Property characteristics, particularly yard size, significantly influenced receptiveness, with owners of larger yards (>5000 sq ft) showing greater willingness compared to those with smaller properties, who cited space constraints. Additional barriers, i.e., maintenance, financial, and knowledge barriers, included irrigation costs, lack of horticultural knowledge, pest concerns, and proximity to underground utilities. Geographic analysis revealed that Spanish-speaking social networks were particularly effective in promoting tree planting. The study contributes to urban forestry literature by providing nuanced insights into single-family homeowners’ tree-planting decisions and offers targeted recommendations for municipal programs. These include gender-specific outreach strategies, age-appropriate support services, sliding-scale subsidy programs based on property size, and comprehensive education initiatives. The findings inform evidence-based approaches to increase urban canopy coverage through private property plantings, ultimately supporting climate resilience and environmental justice goals in diverse urban neighborhoods. Full article

Urban forests, as a form of green infrastructure, play a vital role in enhancing urban resilience, environmental health, and quality of life. However, users perceive and utilize these spaces in diverse ways. This study aims to identify latent perception types among urban forest visitors and analyze their behavioral, demographic, and policy-related characteristics in Incheon Metropolitan City (Republic of Korea). Using latent class analysis, four distinct visitor types were identified: multipurpose recreationists, balanced relaxation seekers, casual forest users, and passive forest visitors. Multipurpose recreationists preferred active physical use and sports facilities, while balanced relaxation seekers emphasized emotional well-being and cultural experiences. Casual users engaged lightly with forest settings, and passive forest visitors exhibited minimal recreational interest. Satisfaction with forest elements such as vegetation, facilities, and management conditions varied across visitor types and age groups, especially among older adults. These findings highlight the need for perception-based green infrastructure planning. Policy recommendations include expanding accessible neighborhood green spaces for aging populations, promoting community-oriented events, and offering participatory forest programs for youth engagement. By integrating user segmentation into urban forest planning and governance, this study contributes to more inclusive, adaptive, and sustainable management of urban green infrastructure. Full article

This paper builds on place theory and the psycho-social approach to the study of perceived residential environmental quality to examine the relationship between environmental perceptions and residential action in the neighborhood. An exploratory study on (N = 185) Italian respondents assessed the role of perceived residential environmental quality (i.e., perceived quality of green areas and perceived maintenance levels within the neighborhood), awareness of neighborhood environmental problems, neighborhood descriptive norms, and place attachment (attachment to the neighborhood) as predictors of self-reported individual residential engagement (engagement in improving the environmental quality of the neighborhood). Likert-type measures of the corresponding constructs were included in a structured questionnaire and used to carry out an online survey. Findings showed problem awareness and descriptive norms to directly predict residential engagement. Problem awareness mediated the relationship between perceived maintenance levels and residential engagement. Place attachment was directly predicted by perceived residential quality (quality of green areas), but did not show an independent predictive power vis-à-vis residential engagement. Results suggest new possible research avenues for modelling the individual commitment to improve the environmental quality of one’s own residential architectural and green environment. Full article

Amid the increasing complexity of urban risks, urban parks not only serve ecological and recreational functions but are increasingly becoming a critical spatial foundation supporting public psychological resilience and social recovery. This study aims to systematically evaluate the daily adaptability of urban parks in the context of micro-risks. The research integrates the theories of “restorative environments,” environmental safety perception, urban resilience, and social ecology to construct a five-dimensional framework for perceived resilience, encompassing resilience, safety, sociability, controllability, and adaptability. Additionally, a dynamic feedback mechanism of perception–behavior–reperception is introduced. Methodologically, the study utilizes the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) to identify 17 core indicators, constructs a causal structure and weighting system using DEMATEL-based ANP (DANP), and further employs the VIKOR model to simulate public preferences in a multi-criteria decision-making process. Taking three representative urban parks in Guangzhou as empirical case studies, the research identifies resilience and adaptability as key driving dimensions of the system. Factors such as environmental psychological resilience, functional diversity, and visual permeability show a significant path influence and priority intervention value. The empirical results further reveal significant spatial heterogeneity and group differences in the perceived resilience across ecological, neighborhood, and central park types, highlighting the importance of context-specific and user-adaptive strategies. The study finally proposes four optimization pathways, emphasizing the role of feedback mechanisms in enhancing urban park resilience and shaping “cognitive-friendly” spaces, providing a systematic modeling foundation and strategic reference for perception-driven urban public space optimization. Full article

Crack detection in complex pavement scenarios remains challenging due to the sparse small-target features and computational inefficiency of existing methods. To address these limitations, this study proposes an enhanced architecture based on Mask2Former. The framework integrates two key innovations. A Local Perception Module (LPM) reconstructs geometric topological relationships through a Sequence-Space Dynamic Transformation Mechanism (DS2M), enhancing neighborhood feature extraction via depthwise separable convolutions. Simultaneously, an Auxiliary Convolutional Layer (ACL) combines lightweight residual convolutions with shallow high-resolution features, preserving critical edge details through channel attention weighting. Experimental evaluations demonstrate the model’s superior performance, achieving improvements of 3.2% in mIoU and 2.7% in mAcc compared to baseline methods, while maintaining computational efficiency with only 12.8 GFLOPs. These results validate the effectiveness of geometric relationship modeling and hierarchical feature fusion for pavement crack detection, suggesting practical potential for infrastructure maintenance systems. The proposed approach balances precision and efficiency, offering a viable solution for real-world applications with complex crack patterns and hardware constraints. Full article

Urban outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) has become an increasingly critical issue under the pressures of urbanization and climate change. Comparative analyses of urban blocks with distinct spatial morphologies are essential for identifying OTC issues and proposing targeted optimization strategies. However, existing studies predominantly rely on microclimate numerical simulations, while comparative assessments of OTC from the human thermal perception perspective remain limited. This study employs the thermal walk method, integrating microclimatic measurements with thermal perception questionnaires, to conduct on-site OTC investigations across three urban blocks with contrasting spatial morphologies—a business district (BD), a residential area (RA), and a historical neighborhood (HN)—in Beijing, a hot summer and cold winter climate city. The results reveal substantial OTC differences among the blocks. However, these differences demonstrated great seasonal and temporal variations. In summer, BD exhibited the best OTC (mTSV = 1.21), while HN performed the worst (mTSV = 1.72). In contrast, BD showed the poorest OTC in winter (mTSV = −1.57), significantly lower than HN (−1.11) and RA (−1.05). This discrepancy was caused by the unique morphology of different blocks. The sky view factor emerged as a more influential factor affecting OTC over building coverage ratio and building height, particularly in RA (r = 0.689, p < 0.01), but its impact varied by block, season, and sunlight conditions. North–South streets generally perform better OTC than East–West streets, being 0.26 units cooler in summer and 0.20 units warmer in winter on the TSV scale. The study highlights the importance of incorporating more applicable physical parameters to optimize OTC in complex urban contexts and offering theoretical support for designing climate adaptive urban spaces. Full article