Work

Associations Between Environmental Factors and Perceived Density of Residents in High-Density Residential Built Environment in Mountainous Cities—A Case Study of Chongqing Central Urban Area, China

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In high-density residential areas, physical and socio-cultural factors, largely driven by individual attitudes and perceptions, affect perceived density (PD), causing congestion and oppression. Little research has examined residents' PD and environmental features from an affective perspective or forecasted how density increases may affect public sentiment. The study explores the effects of environmental factors on PD in high-density residential built environments (RBEs). This study used housing data (n = 4,865) from Chongqing, a representative hilly metropolis with parallel ridge valleys in China, and social media data (SMD) from Weibo (n = 120,319) after eliminating visitors. We evaluated residents' density impressions via natural language processing (NLP). Entropy weighting combined building density (BD) and floor area ratio (FAR) into five natural breakpoints. Pearson's correlation measured environmental factors' influence on PD across categories, whereas stepwise regression predicted residents' PD. In low-density settings, there was a positive correlation between PD and physical density variables, with socio-cultural aspects exerting a greater influence. High-density residents adapted to their environment, with PD having little socio-cultural impact and no correlation with physical density. In low-density areas, water, green spaces, and transit boosted PD attitudes. Road density, bus stops, park squares, scenic sites, fitness sports, and water areas should improve density perceptions. RBE 1–4 had different favorable perceptions than expected, but RBE 3 and RBE 5 matched and exceeded expectations. The environment influences PD differently in high-density RBEs located in hilly urban settings. Space planning and urban administration can benefit from predicted outcomes for varied residential circumstances.

Source: Land

DOI: 10.3390/land14091882

Authors: Lingqian Tan, Peiyao Hao, Ningjing Liu

Institutions: Beijing Forestry University, China Academy of Urban Planning and Design

Language: English

Topic: Urban Transport and Accessibility

Subfield: Transportation

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137