Observing behavior patterns.
Today, we as designers can not propose anything without making prediction. We are responsible for observing all possible scenarios about future exploitation of our design. Many companies and architecture analytics firms use pedestrian analysis in order to understand future behavior patterns. So, they can propose the best design scenario. For example, SpaceSyntax specializes on using mathematical approach to draw existing and future pathways. That allow designers to be more efficient in their proposals.
PedSim for pedestrian simulation.
The one of the tools that is used to predict pedestrian behavior is PedSim – grasshopper plugin. It typically consists of start and end points, middle targets and user program. The public space that I use in that exercise is the square in front of market in la Barceloneta neighborhood. Many economic activities surround the square. So, it serves as a center for the whole barrio. In order to assume how people move through the square, I set 3 types of users: those who is going to any restaurant around square. Second group looks for grocery store. The last one is interested in playgrounds. Each type of middle target has its own time spending and access radius. If some of the target is already full of people, new user will find another place from the same target group in order not to waste time and stay in a line. The following video represents the simulation in process.
</p>
By using heatmap as a layout we can see which pass is the most popular that means more efficient and useful.
Next steps.
There are some weaknesses in that tool. For example, right now we are not able to set start and destination points as the same. However, PedSim Pro version allows us to do so. Moreover, “room” function that enables user to enter for specific time period and hides him from the map serves to perform more accurate simulation.
PREDICTING PEOPLE MOVEMENTS WITH PEDSIM is a project of IAAC, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia developed at Computational Urban Design IV, e.g. Master in City & Technology, in 2020/2021 by:
Students: Linara Salikhova
Faculty: Eugenio Bettucchi
