Chun, J; Fatah gen. Schieck, A; Psarras, S; Koutsolampros, P; (2019) Agent based simulation for 'Choice of Seats': a Study on the Human Space Usage Pattern. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Space Syntax Symposium. International Space Syntax Symposium: Beijing, China.

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Abstract

Agent simulation in the context of architecture is a great practical tool for analysing space and examining its influence from the perspective of users. On the other hand, the theories and concepts that deal with human cognition as it relates to environments are typically studied within the field of environmental psychology. Research on the intersection between the two fields has focused mainly on the analysis of the built environment but not necessarily the agents themselves. The present research applies the theories in environmental psychology as rules in an agent simulation model validated by comparing the results with actual mapped human behavioural patterns in space. It aims to develop a method and a tool for analysing space from the perspective of the users and thus allow for the design of built environments that take that perspective into account. We specifically used visibility graphs to map the visitors’ field of view on spatial configurations as a proxy for the concepts of “prospect and refuge” in environmental psychology. We then applied an agent model to the same spatial configurations that simulated the tendency to prefer sitting areas that are a certain distance from others and as well as other elements of human cognition such as the perception of crowdedness of a space and uncertainty. We validated the simulation model against onsite observations to examine how the hypothetical patterns it creates relate to the observed patterns in real-world settings in the context of the theories implemented from environmental psychology. No statistically significant correlations emerged between the theoretical patterns and observed behaviour pointing to the complexity of human usage patterns in space as well as the difficulties of measuring it. Nevertheless, the proposed research provides a framework for investigating people’s possible staying patterns over spatial configurations and seat arrangements with different concordant rates according to crowdedness conditions and group type.

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