Research on the Relationship between the Environmental Characteristics of Pocket Parks and Young People’s Perception of the Restorative Effects—A Case Study Based on Chongqing City, China

Abstract

Work and life stresses can cause spiritual fatigue and emotional tension, threatening the physical and psychological health of young people. Several studies have demonstrated the important role and value of pocket parks in the emotional and spiritual refreshment of people. This study quantitatively evaluated the perceived restorative effects associated with the environmental characteristics of a pocket park, and determined the relationships between the physical-environmental characteristics, psychological-environmental characteristics and the restorative effects. In this study, pocket parks in Chongqing City were chosen as the study areas, and a total of 25 sample pictures of the parks were chosen for analysis. Each picture was quantized into 14 physical-environmental indices and three psychological-environmental indices for measurement of the restorative effect. The results showed that the environmental characteristics of parks with a restorative effect include naturality, sense of distance, charm and privacy. The physical-environmental characteristics related to young people’s restoration and their degree of influence were determined through quantitative analysis. Moreover, a prediction model of the environmental restoration effect of pocket parks was established. The research conclusions can provide a reference for the evaluation and comparison of the environmental restoration performance of pocket parks and the design of restorative pocket parks.