Enhancing Perceived Safety at the Concrete Lawn
Research Questions and Methodological Flow
Environment behaviour Methods for Design (ABPL90417) Assignment 2: Methodology Poster Lee Ka Sin Adelaide (1381024)
Abstract
How can the perceived safety of the Concrete Lawn be enhanced?
Study Site Context
Safety is a critical aspect of campus design and directly impacts the well-being of its community. This research aims to evaluate and enhance the perceived safety of the Concrete Lawn at the University of Melbourne. By integrating surveys, behavioural mapping, the Photo Qsort interview, and participatory design workshops, the research will investigate specific areas and elements that contribute to safety concerns. Through collaborative efforts with the university community, the study will also develop targeted design solutions that address these concerns. The anticipated findings will improve safety perceptions and enhance the overall usability of the Concrete Lawn, contributing significantly to the broader goal of campus safety.
2 3
1 Glyn Davis Building
4 3 Union House
4 Raymond Priestley
Content analysis: Grouping answers with similar implications (eg. Under the trees, area covered by canopies, area with dense tree leaves)
User demography No 20%
Yes 80%
Result example
Do Users feel unsafe sometimes?
Response count
180
Usage and Perceived Safety by Time Visit Period (response count)
180 160 140
Photo #
Feature
10
Fixtures /Ameniti es
80
Photo #
Photo #
Feature
60 40
40
20
Lighting
19
Evening
Photo #
7 8
13
9
Camera direction
• It will be approximately 2 hours, and participants will have to collaboratively create design prototypes in groups • Each group within the workshop will include a mix of stakeholders, including students and staff from different faculty. One research assistant (urban designer or landscape architecture student) will be assigned to each group, providing guidelines on navigating the software or leading discussion if necessary. Workshop flow
21
Presentation on key findings from survey, behaviour map and photo – Q-sort
22
Safest
Natural elements
8
Selection of redesign area within the lawn
Create a design prototype with the AI simulation tool, editing different features
AI Simulation Tool (Concept image)
Feature
Nature elements
Seating
Late night
Photo #
Photo #
Feature Natural elements Seating
17
Walking path
20
Afternoon
Photo #
Natural elements
80
60
Morning
4.1 Prototype workshop
Seating
120
Period feeling unsafe (response count)
100
Utilize findings from the previous three stages to collaboratively design prototypes, followed by a voting process to understand broad user preferences.
140
100
120
Delve deeper into users’ perceptions of safety related to different design elements and features captured during the behavioural mapping phase.
Sorting Template
160
200
Explore user behaviour patterns in areas and during times identified as having lower perceived safety, based on survey insights.
19
20
Photo example Natural elements
200
25
• Participants will be asked to arrange the photos into a template according to their perceived safety, followed by a short interview asking them to briefly explain their sorting. Each sorting will be recorded using Excel and the interview will be voice-recorded.
Photo #
11
Target spot
23
• A booth with be set up at the campus which participants can easily access for three days to capture a more diverse sample, targeting 50 participants.
Space with lower perceived safety
Result example
10
16
Analysis and Results
To gather initial data on general safety perceptions, identifying specific times and locations perceived as less safe by users.
17
5. Are there specific spaces within the Concrete Lawn where you feel unsafe? If yes, please describe those spaces (there can be more than one). _______________________________
Participatory Design
• The prototype workshop will be an open application for the school community (students and staff), using a first come first serve basis, targeting 30 participants
14
12
Morning (6 AM - 12 PM) Afternoon (12 PM - 6 PM) Evening (6 PM - 12 AM) Late Night (12 AM - 6 AM)
Morning (6 AM - 12 PM) Afternoon (12 PM - 6 PM) Evening (6 PM - 12 AM) Late Night (12 AM - 6 AM)
• 25 Photos of the concrete lawn will be taken with the insights from the behaviour mapping, focusing on areas with lower traffic and shorter visit duration, also capturing people activities at the same time period (evening). The photos will be indicated with different types of elements, including natural elements, lighting, Seating, Fixtures /Amenities and Walking Paths
15
q q q q
Photo Q-sort interview
High traffic spot
6
q q q q
4. When do you feel less safe during certain times of the day?
3
2. When do you often visit or pass by the Concrete lawn?
4
q Yes q No
q Student q Staff q Visitor
5
3. Do you feel unsafe in the Concrete Lawn sometimes?
Photo taking spot 2
1. What is your primary affiliation with the University?
• The Photo Q sort interview aims to delve deeper into user-perceived safety by understanding how the influence of different landscape elements
24
• The survey will be distributed both online (via university email and social media platforms) and in person (using tablets at various points on Campus)
Section 2: Safety Perceptions
Behaviour Mapping
Data Collection
Map Example
1
• The target sample size will be approximately 200 users of the Concrete Lawn, ensuring a mix of students, staff and visitors to capture diverse perspectives.
Section 1: General Information
Survey
4. Participatory Design
Data Collection
Survey Design
• The Survey aims to collect initial data on general safety perceptions, identifying time period and any spaces with lower safety perceptions
Student
Given its importance, maintaining this area’s safety is crucial. While existing theories and design practices have underscored the importance of environmental design in promoting public safety, this research aims to investigate users' perceptions of safety across different locations and landscape features within the Lawn. The goal is to generate practical insights that will guide the redesign of the Concrete Lawn into a safer and more inviting space within the campus.
3. Photo Q-sort interview
Data Collection
Staff
2 Baldwin Spencer
1
1. Survey
Visitor
The Concrete Lawn at the University of Melbourne, centrally located on the Parkville campus and flanked by significant structures like the Glyn Davis Building and Union House, acts as a vital intersection for students, staff, and visitors. Its diverse landscape, featuring paved and grassy areas, trees, shrubs, and amenities such as seating, lighting, waste bins, and a coffee truck, supports a wide array of activities, from gatherings to quiet study, enhancing its appeal throughout the year. The Lawn not only foster academic and social interactions but also reflects the university’s vibrant ethos, establishing it as a key communal space.
• Which areas of the Concrete Lawn are perceived as less safe by its users • What key elements contribute to lower perceived safety, and how can they be effectively redesigned?
Under tree Canopy
Near Shrubs
Benches
Concrete Path
2. Behaviour Mapping
Thematic Analysis will be adopted using Nvivo to code the interview transcripts. The coding will identify recurring themes or reasons for safety perceptions and link qualitative themes with quantitative data to provide a comprehensive view of safety perceptions.
Data Collection Recording time : Evening (identified as high traffic and lower safety) Camera setting : Mainly facing Tree canopy, shrubs, benches (identified as space with lower safety)
Tree Canopy
• The data collection will be conducted on a randomly selected day during the time period perceived as lower safety to narrow down the data scope.
Photo Q Sort Data (Quantitative)
Factor and correlation analysis will be adopted using the Ken-Q Analysis tool, to identify common patterns in how photos are sorted and the influence of different features on perceived safety.
Legend
Adding / removing different element
Data processing example
Interview Data (Qualitative)
• Cameras will be strategically placed around the Concrete Lawn to record video data, covering key spaces identified as potentially unsafe. This setup will enable non-intrusive, real-time observation of user behaviours without constant physical monitoring.
Least safe
Others
Analysis and Results
• Video recording will be used to capture detailed user behaviour within the Concrete Lawn
Lighting
Codes
Frequency
Landscape element (theme)
Tree
40
Natural elements
Dark
34
Lighting
Mud
28
Natural elements
4.2 Public exhibition and voting Integration
Link quantitative data with qualitative themes to understand how different features influence users ' perceived safety and the reason
Dem
25
Lighting
Canopy
23
Natural elements
Benches
17
Seating
Shrubs
14
Natural elements
Sculptures
12
Fixture / Amenities
Relative ranking of photographs in Factor 1
Photo #
Highest ranked photograph
3
Positive photographs ranked higher in factor 1 array than in other factor arrays
Natural element
Lighting
Seating
Fixture/ amenities
Walking Path
Camera + facing direction
Analysis and Results
Negative photographs ranked higher in factor 1 array than in other factor arrays
Result example
Map of less safe areas Lowest ranked photographs
24
5
7
6
8
13
10
Result example
5-10 mins
Relaxation
>10 mins
Socializing
Insufficient lighting
30 25
20
16
Walking
Identified by counting the number of individuals engaging in different types of activities
Lighting signage Nighttime
q Design 2
22
20
• Develop design prototypes to address various findings collaboratively
Photo Q-Sort interview
• Public exhibitions and voting will then gauge community response, guiding the final design choices to ensure they align well with border user preferences
Users traffic, visit duration and activities varied across different spaces, suggesting some spaces might have lower perceived safety
15 View obstructed from shrubs Lighting
Natural element
Amenities
Fixture
Walk path
Participatory Design
behaviour Mapping
Lack tree management
10 5
Photo indicatorid with lower Safety (Highest negative ranked)
Survey
Response count
35
Standing
Calculate the average visit duration per individual in different areas through the cluster analysis
Taller trees
This research on the Concrete Lawn will provide comprehensive findings across various environment behaviour research methods, focusing on user’s safety perceptions. Integrating both quantitative and qualitative data, it will underpin a well-informed redesign of the Concrete Lawn, aiming to improve safety, usability, and its overall function as a dynamic communal space on campus. Certain spaces and the evening period show lower perceived safety
50 40
<5 mins
Reasons on Lower Safety
Most influential features 45
Measured by counting the number of individuals and map the spot they stayed (excluding areas they passed through)
Analyze the votes to identify the top-rated designs and examine common features among the most popular choices.
Lighting next to benches Daytime
Research Result
5
Result example
14
Major user’s activities
Public voting will be promoted on the campus with booths and online (eg. Social media or email newsletter)
Most favorable design features
q Design 1
10
7
For each 15-minute interval in the video recording, the number of individuals, each individual’s location, visit duration, and activities will be recorded in Excel and GIS. Cluster analysis will be used to analyze the results and visualize se them through maps.
Visit Duration
A digital voting system will be set up and accessible via a mobile website, presenting all those prototypes.
Rating the safest concrete lawn
11
Concrete Path
High traffic spot
•
•
19
Benches
The prototypes will be presented from different angles and variations during the day and at night.
1 4
Shrubs
•
•
Adjusting different times and dates for variations in natural lighting
Scaling the element
User perceptions of safety vary across different landscape elements and their features, influencing how different spaces are perceived.