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Comparisons of Built Environment Correlates of Walking in Urban and Suburban Campuses: A Case Study of Tianjin, China

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  • Zhehao Zhang

    (School of Architecture, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China)

  • Haiming Wang

    (School of Architecture and Engineering, Yantai Institute of Technology, Yantai 264003, China)

  • Lei Pang

    (School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China)

  • Thomas Fisher

    (School of Architecture, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA)

  • Shuo Yang

    (School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China)

Abstract

Current Chinese campus planning and design have neglected to promote walking activity (WA). Lacking WA and developing sedentary and physical inactivity habits can lead to obesity, diabetes, and other noncommunicable diseases. Academia has confirmed that WA can be facilitated by planning and designing built environment (BE) interventions. Accordingly, this study aims to explore the effect of campus BE features on walking in different regions’ campuses and present nuanced campus planning and design strategies. We selected the objectively measured BE features of destination accessibility, land use, street connectivity, and spatial configuration. Environmental design qualities and pedestrian facilities were chosen as the micro-level BE features. We applied GIS 10.1 and sDNA to calculate gross BE features and field audit tools to measure street environmental features and pedestrian volume (PV). We built negative binomial regression models and eliminated spatial autocorrelation to investigate and compare the BE correlates of walking in urban and suburban campuses. Similarities and differences were found among the outcomes derived from the two regions. We found that campus Walk Score, land use attributes of facility density and park land ratio, complexity, and other features closely correlate with PV in the two types of campuses. Comparatively, closeness, transparency, and complexity only influence urban campuses’ PV, while block length, entropy, facility land ratio, and sidewalk quality only correlate with PV on suburban campuses. According to these findings, we proposed different and targeted campus renewal and planning strategies for WA and walkability promotion.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhehao Zhang & Haiming Wang & Lei Pang & Thomas Fisher & Shuo Yang, 2023. "Comparisons of Built Environment Correlates of Walking in Urban and Suburban Campuses: A Case Study of Tianjin, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-26, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:11:p:1972-:d:1267438
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dustin T. Duncan & Julie Méline & Yan Kestens & Kristen Day & Brian Elbel & Leonardo Trasande & Basile Chaix, 2016. "Walk Score, Transportation Mode Choice, and Walking Among French Adults: A GPS, Accelerometer, and Mobility Survey Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-14, June.
    2. Zhehao Zhang & Thomas Fisher & Haiming Wang, 2023. "Walk Score, Environmental Quality and Walking in a Campus Setting," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-19, March.
    3. Shima Hamidi & Somayeh Moazzeni, 2019. "Examining the Relationship between Urban Design Qualities and Walking Behavior: Empirical Evidence from Dallas, TX," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-14, May.
    4. S. Hassan Ameli & Shima Hamidi & Andrea Garfinkel-Castro & Reid Ewing, 2015. "Do Better Urban Design Qualities Lead to More Walking in Salt Lake City, Utah?," Journal of Urban Design, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(3), pages 393-410, July.
    5. Ayse Ozbil & Tugce Gurleyen & Demet Yesiltepe & Ezgi Zunbuloglu, 2019. "Comparative Associations of Street Network Design, Streetscape Attributes and Land-Use Characteristics on Pedestrian Flows in Peripheral Neighbourhoods," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-23, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jing Yang & Yuqiu Wu & Xuemei Chen & Binjie Luo & Ran Wu & Rong Lin, 2025. "Evaluation of Walkability Index for Embedded Community Services from an Age-Friendly Perspective: A Case Study of Mapple Community in Chengdu, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-23, June.

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