Society. Spaces. Screens

Abstract

This study examines street perceptions by exploring the relationship between visual attractiveness and attention-seeking elements in the built environment, emphasizing pedestrian comfort, safety, and decision-making in route selection. It introduces a matrix to measure urban perceptual quality specifically for pedestrian users, combining real-world data with immersive virtual simulations to assess how well streets meet pedestrian needs. The study begins by collecting real-world urban perceptual data through eye-tracking technology. Participants navigate a downtown suburban area while wearing eye-tracking glasses, and their gaze patterns are analyzed using time of interest (TOI) and area of interest (AOI) metrics. Heat maps and gaze plots reveal key attraction points at intersections, public plazas, and pedestrian walkways. This data is then integrated into a perceptual quality matrix that evaluates how these visual cues influence pedestrian comfort and safety. To deepen the analysis, the same environment is recreated in an immersive CAVE-like virtual environment, where local laypeople engage in participatory navigation tasks. Participants ‘ virtual perceptual data is recorded while moving, reacting, and interacting with similar urban social events as in the real world. This allows for an enhanced understanding of urban design alterations and their impact on the pedestrian experience. The virtual simulation provides a dynamic platform to test design modifications and assess how they influence attention and decision-making. The findings of this study offer urban designers and policymakers valuable insights into creating streets that enhance visual appeal and foster safer and more comfortable pedestrian environments. The framework also demonstrates how advanced virtual instruments, such as immersive environments, can be integrated into the co-design decision-making process, offering a practical approach for evaluating and improving urban design before implementation.