Way-finding in Shanghai Underground Public Space: Path Choice and Landmark

摘要

As the outcome of high density in big cities, the underground public spaces become more and more complicated. Compared with ground space, underground public spaces make it harder for people to orientate themselves, and make people feel more confused and nervous in them. So it is necessary to do some research on spatial cognition and way-finding in underground public spaces. This survey conducted in Shanghai People Square underground public spaces, and made a discussion on the relations between function, space and behavior. By observing, tracing and recording the participants' way-finding process, the modes of way-finding and path choice that participants used are summarized. In the way-finding conditions, which have a certain destination, these questions are discussed: the characters that could be used as landmark, and the effect of landmark to way-finding process. The aim of the research is to explore some modes of spatial cognition in underground public spaces, and provide some principles about architectural and urban design.