Assessing human emotional responses to the design of public spaces around subway stations: a human factors research

Abstract Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a powerful urban planning strategy to enhance sustainability and provide socioeconomic benefits for cities. The human-centered design of public spaces around subway stations critical issue in TOD. In this study, socio-technical system-based perspective was adopted investigate the impact using different strategies on human emotional responses. novelty study lies performing factors experiment examine reactions outdoor surrounding transit comprehensive method combining physiological assessment subjective self-report. Thirty-four participants were recruited experiment, which conducted at catchment areas two Nanjing, China. Urban characteristics related open space enclosure visual elements, natural pedestrian access, buildings or walls, land use activities tested both semi-underground above-ground spaces. Additionally, emotions assessed pleasure, arousal, dominance model by investigating four response systems that predominantly reflect people’s states. These results led policy suggestions could assist practitioners researchers selecting relevant approaches human-oriented place-based TOD planning. Graphical abstract