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Architectural Requirements for Improving Social Interactions in Subway Stations: An Evidence Based Design Approach



Author(s)

Hessam Ghamari1, Cherif Amor2 and Karim Mardomi3

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DOI:10.17265/1934-7359/2014.04.006

1. Department of Design, Texas Tech University, Lubbock 79415, USA
2. Department of Interior Design, Virginia Commonwealth University, Doha 3263, Qatar
3. Department of Architecture and Urbanism, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran 1684613114, Iran

Environmental design is concerned with the function of people within an environment and their interactions. Subway stations spaces are important examples of public spaces that are in close connection with the social life of people. Also, the fact that the social interactions and relations between people and city environments are becoming indispensable for subway station space indicates that these spaces play an essential role in urban life. This paper addresses the result of a study conducted by the authors on the influential elements pivotal to the improvement of social interactions in subway stations. The theory of John Lang in Urban design with consideration of social interaction was considered in this study. The objective of the study was to identify the architectural requirements in improving social interaction between people and environment in subway station spaces according to an evidence based design approach. To do so, relevant literature in different disciplines, architecture, urban design, social sustainability and so on, were reviewed. Next, the most important environmental factors which contribute to human behavior in public spaces were derived and analyzed. Data of the study were collected via questionnaires filled out by the users of Tehran’s subway stations. The collected data were analyzed and the architectural elements/requirements for improving social interactions were classified. The results of the study indicate that in the case of architectural requirements, contribution to the improvement of social interactions, design considerations for physical and mental safety, accessibility and lighting are the most important factors.

Social interaction, subway station, architectural requirements, evidence-based design, human behavior.