Quantitative Assessment of Temporary Landscape Interventions on Community Spatial Vitality: A Behavioral Observation and Space Syntax Approach

Abstract

As rapid urbanization continues to reshape metropolitan environments, it inadvertently generates a growing number of underutilized, marginal, and neglected community spaces. In response to this urban challenge, temporary landscape interventions have increasingly emerged as a low-cost, highly flexible, and highly adaptable strategy for immediate spatial activation and urban renewal. Despite their growing popularity, empirical evidence quantifying their actual effectiveness remains limited. Consequently, this study rigorously examines the quantitative impact of such short-term interventions on overall community spatial vitality. By employing a robust methodological framework that combines systematic behavioral observation and advanced space syntax analysis, the research evaluates spatial dynamics across three distinct residential communities located in Fuzhou, Fujian Province. The empirical results reveal highly significant improvements across multiple vitality indicators following the implementation of the interventions. Specifically, the data demonstrate a remarkable 174.4% increase in average daily foot traffic, a substantial 264.9% rise in social activity frequency, and a notable 77.5% improvement in spatial integration values. Furthermore, comprehensive correlation analysis indicates a strong positive relationship between spatial syntax integration and observed activity frequency (R2 = 0.876, p < 0.01). These findings conclusively confirm that temporary landscape interventions can effectively enhance both spatial connectivity and meaningful social interaction among residents. Ultimately, the study proposes an innovative three-layer transmission mechanism linking physical modification, syntactic improvement, and subsequent behavioral response. This mechanism offers a comprehensive, evidence-based framework for guiding future community regeneration initiatives through strategic temporary design.