IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i13p5937-d1689278.html

Bridging Subjective and Objective Dimensions of Resilience: A Space Syntax Approach to Analyzing Urban Public Spaces

Author

Listed:
  • Yunyan Li

    (School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
    Key Laboratory of New Technique for Construction of Cities in Mountain Area of the Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
    Key Laboratory of Monitoring, Evaluation and Early Warning of Territorial Spatial Planning Implementation, Ministry of Natural Resources, Chongqing 401147, China)

  • Miao Wang

    (School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China)

  • Binyan Wang

    (School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
    Key Laboratory of New Technique for Construction of Cities in Mountain Area of the Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
    Key Laboratory of Monitoring, Evaluation and Early Warning of Territorial Spatial Planning Implementation, Ministry of Natural Resources, Chongqing 401147, China)

  • Yuchen Liang

    (School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China)

Abstract

Public spaces are fundamental spatial units within cities, serving as essential venues for residents’ daily activities and as resilient environments for responding to emergencies. They play a crucial role in enhancing urban resilience and promoting sustainable urban development. However, existing research predominantly focuses on objective spatial entities, often neglecting users’ behavioral and psychological perceptions. Studies that incorporate perceived resilience typically necessitate extensive, time-consuming, and costly fieldwork. To address these gaps, this study innovatively integrates space syntax into the Public Space Resilience (PSR) analytical framework, thereby bridging the subjective and objective dimensions of resilience in the evaluation process. A comprehensive resilience measurement framework is developed, linking ‘material entities’, ‘spatial perception (via space syntax)’, and ‘spatial resilience’. Using the Yuzhong Peninsula in Chongqing, China, as a case study, this research employs indicators such as integration, connectivity, and comprehensibility to quantitatively evaluate PSR. Based on the findings, this study also proposes strategies and recommendations to enhance PSR. The results contribute to both a practical measurement method and a theoretical framework for advancing PSR in urban planning and design.

Suggested Citation

  • Yunyan Li & Miao Wang & Binyan Wang & Yuchen Liang, 2025. "Bridging Subjective and Objective Dimensions of Resilience: A Space Syntax Approach to Analyzing Urban Public Spaces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-20, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:13:p:5937-:d:1689278
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/13/5937/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/13/5937/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Penny Allan & Martin Bryant & Camila Wirsching & Daniela Garcia & Maria Teresa Rodriguez, 2013. "The Influence of Urban Morphology on the Resilience of Cities Following an Earthquake," Journal of Urban Design, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(2), pages 242-262, May.
    2. Jones, Lindsey & d'Errico, Marco, 2019. "Whose resilience matters? Like-for-like comparison of objective and subjective evaluations of resilience," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 1-1.
    3. Rui Han & Daping Liu & Guangjie Zhu & Linjie Li, 2022. "A Comparative Study on Planning Patterns of Industrial Bases in Northeast China Based on Spatial Syntax," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-17, January.
    4. Jones, Lindsey & D'Errico, Marco, 2019. "Whose resilience matters? like-for-like comparisons of objective and subjective measures of resilience," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 101529, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Saleh Qanazi & Ihab H. Hijazi & Isam Shahrour & Rani El Meouche, 2024. "Exploring Urban Service Location Suitability: Mapping Social Behavior Dynamics with Space Syntax Theory," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-16, April.
    6. Xiaojuan Li & Lulu Li & Mingchao Lin & Chi Yung Jim, 2022. "Research on Risk and Resilience Evaluation of Urban Underground Public Space," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-21, November.
    7. Darren Nel & Chrisna du Plessis & Karina Landman, 2018. "Planning for dynamic cities: introducing a framework to understand urban change from a complex adaptive systems approach," International Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(3), pages 250-263, July.
    8. Mohsen Alawi & Dongzhu Chu & Seba Hammad, 2023. "Resilience of Public Open Spaces to Earthquakes: A Case Study of Chongqing, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-20, January.
    9. Dario Esposito & Stefania Santoro & Domenico Camarda, 2020. "Agent-Based Analysis of Urban Spaces Using Space Syntax and Spatial Cognition Approaches: A Case Study in Bari, Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-17, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Menconi, M.E. & Giordano, S. & Grohmann, D., 2022. "Revisiting global food production and consumption patterns by developing resilient food systems for local communities," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    2. Barituka Bekee & Corinne Valdivia, 2023. "Resilience of Rural Households: Insights from a Multidisciplinary Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-15, March.
    3. Spiegel, Alisa & Slijper, Thomas & de Mey, Yann & Meuwissen, Miranda P.M. & Poortvliet, P. Marijn & Rommel, Jens & Hansson, Helena & Vigani, Mauro & Soriano, Bárbara & Wauters, Erwin & Appel, Franzisk, 2021. "Resilience capacities as perceived by European farmers," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    4. Muhammad Sajjad & Syed Hassan Raza & Asad Abbas Shah, 2024. "Assessing Response Readiness to Health Emergencies: A Spatial Evaluation of Health and Socio-Economic Justice in Pakistan," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 173(1), pages 169-199, May.
    5. Mohsen Alawi & Dongzhu Chu, 2025. "Assessing and enhancing public space resilience to pandemics and earthquakes: a case study of Chongqing, China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 121(2), pages 2023-2052, January.
    6. Zhamak Monazami Tehrani & Ghazaleh Monazami Tehrani & Arezou Dorostian & Bahram Akashe & Mahmoud Almasian, 2025. "Analyzing safety and resilience of the lifeline networks during the earthquake sequence," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 121(7), pages 8091-8109, April.
    7. Bekee, Barituka, 2020. "Does resilience capacity influence households' perception of control to environmental shocks? Evidence from the Bolivian Altiplano," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304545, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    8. Binyan Wang & Cheng Qiu & Junfeng Tian & Yunyan Li, 2025. "Measuring Livelihood Resilience in the Mountainous Regions of Southwest China: Toward an Integrated Approach," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 179(2), pages 781-815, September.
    9. Bekhzod Egamberdiev & Ihtiyor Bobojonov & Lena Kuhn & Thomas Glauben & Isabel Lambrecht & Kamiljon Akramov, 2026. "Correction to: Consequences of increased farm resilience on food security in Tajikistan," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 18(2), pages 465-466, April.
    10. Perrin, Augustine & Cristobal, Magali San & Milestad, Rebecka & Martin, Guillaume, 2020. "Identification of resilience factors of organic dairy cattle farms," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    11. Emilio Reyes-Schade & Sara Molarinho Marques & Ayman Imam & Abdulrhman M. Gbban & Mohammed Alamoudi & Abdulaziz Afandi & Roba Shaheen & Ahmad Fallatah & David Cueto, 2025. "Morphological Dynamics of Tram-Led Regeneration: A Space Syntax Study of the Trambesòs Line in Barcelona," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-30, June.
    12. Hossain, Marup & Songsermsawas, Tisorn, 2025. "Adapting to Thrive: Training and Access to Finance to Reduce Climate Vulnerability Among Smallholder Farmers in Nepal," 2025 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2025, Denver, CO 361170, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    13. Karina Landman, 2021. "Rapidly Changing Cities: Working with Socio-Ecological Systems to Facilitate Transformation," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(2), pages 139-142.
    14. Mehmet Cetin & Asir Yuksel Kaya & Necmettin Elmastas & Fatih Adiguzel & Ahmet Emrah Siyavus & Nurhan Kocan, 2024. "Assessment of emergency gathering points and temporary shelter areas for disaster resilience in Elazıg, Turkey," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 120(2), pages 1925-1949, January.
    15. Jorge León & Alan March, 2016. "An urban form response to disaster vulnerability: Improving tsunami evacuation in Iquique, Chile," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 43(5), pages 826-847, September.
    16. Yang Wei & Tetsuo Kidokoro & Fumihiko Seta & Bo Shu, 2024. "Spatial-Temporal Assessment of Urban Resilience to Disasters: A Case Study in Chengdu, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-24, April.
    17. Longlong Zhang & Jingwen Yuan & Chulsoo Kim, 2022. "Sustainable Planning and Design of Ocean City Spatial Forms Based on Space Syntax," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-20, December.
    18. Sedigheh Meimandi Parizi & Mohammad Taleai & Ayyoob Sharifi, 2022. "A GIS-Based Multi-Criteria Analysis Framework to Evaluate Urban Physical Resilience against Earthquakes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-31, April.
    19. Upton, Joanna & Constenla-Villoslada, Susana & Barrett, Christopher B., 2022. "Caveat utilitor: A comparative assessment of resilience measurement approaches," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    20. David Koren & Katarina Rus, 2019. "The Potential of Open Space for Enhancing Urban Seismic Resilience: A literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-20, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:13:p:5937-:d:1689278. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.