Contact with nature is believed to enhance mental health through the process of human psychological restoration. However, prolonged indoor living limits individuals’ exposure to nature, potentially hindering the timely alleviation of stress and fatigue induced by work. While biophilic design is recognized as a potential solution, its impact on the restoration process has not been extensively studied, particularly in relation to its various design patterns. Therefore, it is important to determine the restorative effects of different patterns of biophilic design and their combination in order to guide the practical application of biophilic design. In this study, the effects of two typical biophilic design patterns and their combination on attention restoration were measured using subjective scales, cognitive tasks, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in a simulated real workspace. The results suggest a significant enhancement in the restorative impact on cognitive performance and physiological benefits when combining two biophilic design patterns, while a single design pattern does not yield the same effect. These findings contribute to a better understanding and improvement of workspaces, enhancing users’ experience and well-being.

The rise in population and housing mobility presents significant challenges for fostering social cohesion. This study, grounded in consistency theory, leverages survey data collected from various Tianjin regions and adopts a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods to examine the multilevel influence of public spaces, community facilities, and individual motivation on community participation intention (CPI). We assess regional variations and distinguish between public spaces and the accessibility and usability of service facilities. Logistic regression results reveal that (1) age, family type, community types, the usability of facilities, residents’ needs, and neighborhood attachment have significant effects on CPI; (2) residents’ requirements for education, healthcare, and elderly services are strongly correlated with CPI, and high-quality public spaces and facilities significantly increase place attachment; and (3) the usage of some facilities negatively affects CPI under the influence of contextual factors. The results indicate the relationship between the built environment and CPI. This research contributes to the theoretical framework linking community participation and person–environment fit (P–E fit). It provides evidence-based insights for policymakers to consider inclusive urban development in community renewal and grassroots governance.

Old residential communities are integral parts of urban areas, with their environmental quality affecting residents’ well-being. Spontaneous informal spaces (SIS) often emerge within these communities. These are predominantly crafted by the elderly using discarded materials and negatively impact the environmental quality of communities. Understanding SIS emergence patterns is vital for enhancing the environmental quality of old communities; however, methodologies fall short in terms of the quantification of these emergence patterns. This study introduces a groundbreaking approach, merging drone oblique photography technology with space syntax theory, to thoroughly analyze SIS types, functions, and determinants in five Tianjin communities. Utilizing drones and the Depthmap space syntax tool, we captured SIS characteristics and constructed topological models of residences and traffic patterns. We further explored the intrinsic relationships between architectural layout, road traffic, and SIS characteristics via clustering algorithms and multivariate correlation analysis. Our results reveal that architectural layout and road traffic play decisive roles in shaping SIS. Highly accessible regions predominantly feature social-type SIS, while secluded or less trafficked zones lean towards private-type SIS. Highlighting the elderly’s essential needs for greenery, interaction, and basic amenities, our findings offer valuable insights into the revitalization of outdoor spaces in aging communities, into the fostering of urban sustainability and into the nurturing of a balanced relationship between humans and their surroundings.

Community gardens are regarded as important green spaces that promote sustainable cities. Some studies have explored the ecosystem services of community gardens in different areas. However, existing studies lack a systematic review of research on community garden ecosystem services, and there is no comparative study of English- and Chinese-language literature. This paper comprehensively reviewed key English- and Chinese-language literature on the ecosystem services of community gardens from the Web of Science and CNKI and analyzed publication years, numbers, research locations, and research topics. The results showed that the number of studies in English and Chinese has increased significantly since 2015, with a consistent upward trend. Research locations are concentrated in urban areas of Europe, America, and eastern China. Both English- and Chinese-language literature focuses on “food supply (quantity)” in the provisioning services, as well as “learning and education” and “social cohesion and integration” in cultural services. The above results are related to the governance frameworks, the management systems, the climatic conditions, and the sustainable development needs of local cities and planning strategies. Given that most of the existing research focuses on the classification and mechanisms of community garden ecosystem services, it is proposed that future research deeply explore the design factors affecting community garden ecosystem services and pay attention to the links between different ecosystem services. The main findings of this review emphasize the correlation between community garden ecosystem services and contextual factors, and point out future research directions.

Rapid urbanization and spatial constraints in high-density residential areas pose significant challenges to public health and well-being. This study investigates the mechanisms by which the visual environment of urban micro public spaces shapes residents’ psychophysiological responses to encourage spontaneous physical activity and advance active health. Using machine learning and semantic segmentation, 9 core visual elements across 20 micro public space scenes in high-density urban neighborhoods were quantified. An immersive virtual reality (VR) experiment was conducted, collecting synchronized multimodal psychophysiological data from 60 participants, which yielded 600 valid observations. Through an analytical framework combining Self-Organizing Map (SOM) clustering and Random Forest (RF) modeling, three distinct functional archetypes were identified: Restoration-Supporting, Activity-Promoting, and Stress-Inducing. The Activity-Promoting archetype was most effective in fostering spontaneous activity intention, characterized by a high proportion of activity areas, a moderate sky view factor, and minimal physical barriers. RF modeling further pinpointed pedestrian density, activity area ratio, and green space ratio as key visual drivers of health-promoting outcomes. Based on these findings, a “Visual Activation for Active Health” framework is proposed. It posits that moderate visual-environmental stimulation is the core mechanism for transforming passive spaces into health-promotive settings, thereby establishing a theoretical foundation for the evidence-based design of healthy and sustainable urban environments.

Micro-housing has gained prominence as a sustainable urban residential solution, yet the impact of its spatial design on occupants’ perceptual and physiological responses remains underexplored. This study employs a multimodal approach to investigate how three key spatial elements—spatial scale (SS), window-to-wall ratio (WWR), and interface material (IM)—influence human perception in micro-housing environments. A full-factorial experimental design with 12 distinct conditions was implemented in a controlled laboratory setting. We collected both subjective evaluations and multimodal physiological data—including electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), skin conductance (SC), and blood volume pulse (BVP)—from 30 participants. Subjective results indicate that all three spatial elements significantly affect spatial perception and overall comfort, with the influence hierarchy being SS > WWR > IM. Notably, a compensatory effect was observed: increasing the WWR enhanced the perceived spatial area, particularly in mid-sized spaces. Physiologically, SS significantly influenced SC, WWR affected the EEG beta power ratio (BR), and IM impacted the EEG alpha/beta (A/B) ratio, corroborating the subjective findings. Interaction effects were also identified: SS interacted with WWR in area evaluation, and with IM in both area and window size evaluations. This study provides empirical evidence that spatial form elements directly and interactively shape human perception, offering practical insights for enhancing livability in micro-housing through design optimization. The integration of subjective and physiological metrics also establishes a robust methodological framework for future research on human-centered spatial design.