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An analysis of pedestrian preferences for wayfinding signage in urban settings: evidence from Nanning, China

As global urbanization accelerates, the integration, readability, and connectivity of urban spaces are becoming focal points of international concern, particularly in rapidly developing regions like Asia. The inadequacies of urban wayfinding systems directly affect pedestrians’ wayfinding experience...

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Main Authors: Zhou, Jialu, Ujang, Norsidah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2024
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/114610/1/114610.pdf
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/114610/
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/14/9/2986
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spelling my.upm.eprints.1146102025-01-21T02:09:37Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/114610/ An analysis of pedestrian preferences for wayfinding signage in urban settings: evidence from Nanning, China Zhou, Jialu Ujang, Norsidah As global urbanization accelerates, the integration, readability, and connectivity of urban spaces are becoming focal points of international concern, particularly in rapidly developing regions like Asia. The inadequacies of urban wayfinding systems directly affect pedestrians’ wayfinding experiences within city spaces. Pedestrian wayfinding signage, as a critical element supporting pedestrian navigation and urban readability, is often neglected in vehicle-centric urban planning. This study explores the visual preferences of pedestrians regarding wayfinding signage and how these perceptions can be incorporated into the design process. A photo-based survey consisting of 385 pedestrians in Nanning, China, reveals that while many wayfinding signs provide cognitive information, they score lower in visual preference due to poor sensory perception and difficulty in conveying meaning. This study also highlights that the material, color, graphics, and text on signage are key physical attributes influencing the visual preferences of pedestrians. Demographic factors such as age, gender, and professional background also impact these preferences. These findings underscore a broader urban design issue: wayfinding signs must not only clearly communicate navigational information but also enhance the aesthetic and cultural expressions of urban spaces. Current signage systems often neglect these aesthetic and cultural needs, potentially leading to visual fatigue or cultural disconnection, thereby affecting navigation efficiency and urban experience. The results provide empirical foundations for optimizing wayfinding signage designs in urban areas, aiding urban planners and designers in integrating pedestrian preferences to create clearer, more attractive navigation systems, thus improving walking experiences and significantly enhancing the daily lives of city residents. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2024-09-20 Article PeerReviewed text en cc_by_4 http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/114610/1/114610.pdf Zhou, Jialu and Ujang, Norsidah (2024) An analysis of pedestrian preferences for wayfinding signage in urban settings: evidence from Nanning, China. Buildings, 14 (9). art. no. 2986. ISSN 2075-5309; eISSN: 2075-5309 https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/14/9/2986 10.3390/buildings14092986
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
building UPM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Putra Malaysia
content_source UPM Institutional Repository
url_provider http://psasir.upm.edu.my/
language English
description As global urbanization accelerates, the integration, readability, and connectivity of urban spaces are becoming focal points of international concern, particularly in rapidly developing regions like Asia. The inadequacies of urban wayfinding systems directly affect pedestrians’ wayfinding experiences within city spaces. Pedestrian wayfinding signage, as a critical element supporting pedestrian navigation and urban readability, is often neglected in vehicle-centric urban planning. This study explores the visual preferences of pedestrians regarding wayfinding signage and how these perceptions can be incorporated into the design process. A photo-based survey consisting of 385 pedestrians in Nanning, China, reveals that while many wayfinding signs provide cognitive information, they score lower in visual preference due to poor sensory perception and difficulty in conveying meaning. This study also highlights that the material, color, graphics, and text on signage are key physical attributes influencing the visual preferences of pedestrians. Demographic factors such as age, gender, and professional background also impact these preferences. These findings underscore a broader urban design issue: wayfinding signs must not only clearly communicate navigational information but also enhance the aesthetic and cultural expressions of urban spaces. Current signage systems often neglect these aesthetic and cultural needs, potentially leading to visual fatigue or cultural disconnection, thereby affecting navigation efficiency and urban experience. The results provide empirical foundations for optimizing wayfinding signage designs in urban areas, aiding urban planners and designers in integrating pedestrian preferences to create clearer, more attractive navigation systems, thus improving walking experiences and significantly enhancing the daily lives of city residents.
format Article
author Zhou, Jialu
Ujang, Norsidah
spellingShingle Zhou, Jialu
Ujang, Norsidah
An analysis of pedestrian preferences for wayfinding signage in urban settings: evidence from Nanning, China
author_facet Zhou, Jialu
Ujang, Norsidah
author_sort Zhou, Jialu
title An analysis of pedestrian preferences for wayfinding signage in urban settings: evidence from Nanning, China
title_short An analysis of pedestrian preferences for wayfinding signage in urban settings: evidence from Nanning, China
title_full An analysis of pedestrian preferences for wayfinding signage in urban settings: evidence from Nanning, China
title_fullStr An analysis of pedestrian preferences for wayfinding signage in urban settings: evidence from Nanning, China
title_full_unstemmed An analysis of pedestrian preferences for wayfinding signage in urban settings: evidence from Nanning, China
title_sort analysis of pedestrian preferences for wayfinding signage in urban settings: evidence from nanning, china
publisher Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
publishDate 2024
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/114610/1/114610.pdf
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/114610/
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/14/9/2986
_version_ 1823093209130074112
score 13.23648

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