The Research Connection
More studies that shed light on what works in plazas, open spaces, and other landscapes.

By Jean Marie Cackowski and Sally Augustin

Illustration by William Brown

Landscape Architecture, in partnership with the web-based and print newsletter Research Design Connections, publishes this column (the previous example appeared in the January 2005 Landscape Architecture) to report current research of interest to landscape architects from a wide array of other fields.

We welcome your comments, suggestions about future topics, and studies you have encountered in your own practice.

Plaza Design and Human Behavior

Visits to outdoor plazas, such as the open spaces in downtown commercial centers, provide important, regular natural experiences for many people. A recent article in Environment and Behavior reported on a study exploring the influence of microclimates—conditions such as temperature, sunlight, humidity, air movement, and so forth—on the behaviors of people who share plaza space. The article also examined the effects on human behavior of built features within plazas, such as seating and where it is located.

…To read the entire article, subscribe to LAM!