Effects of Changes in Pedestrian Environment on the Sense of Community by the Wall Removal Project: Focused on the Case of Siheungsam-dong, Seoul

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1 Effects of Changes in Pedestrian Environment on the Sense of Community by the Wall Removal Project: Focused on the Case of Siheungsam-dong, Seoul Eun-Jeong Ko, Kyung-Hwan Lee, Kun-Hyuck Ahn School of Civil, Urban & Geosystem Engineering, Seoul National University Abstract This study examines how the Wall Removal Project influences residents sense of community as a result of the changes in pedestrian environment. The Wall Removal Project is a kind of parking policy that encourages the use of individual lot as parking place by removing the wall. It is a policy of the Seoul city to resolve the parking problem, improve pedestrian environment, and thereby revitalize the whole community. Surveys conducted in Siheungsam-dong which have promoted the Wall Removal Project, and nearby Siheungbon-dong, support the hypotheses that (1) the qualities of neighborhood s pedestrian environment (2) the sense of community will be higher in Siheungsam-dong (3) the qualities of neighborhood s pedestrian environment will significantly contribute to this sense of community. Keywords: Wall Removal Project, Green Parking, Pedestrian Environment, Sense of Community Introduction The increase in automobile use inside urban detached houses has created many problems such as the arguments over parking, and has isolated people from their neighbors and the community on the whole. In response, several attempts have been made to make the best use of neighborhood street spaces in urban detached houses as a way of revitalizing the community. Among them is the Wall Removal Project, which has been promoted by Seoul City Government. Dae-gu City initiated the first Wall Removal Project in 1996, taking down the walls of government offices and university hospital, and making street parks, - 1 -

2 in order to foster better neighbor relationships. This Wall Removal Project was adopted as the principal project in 1999 by NGOs and the Dae-gu City Government, which was contributed by the growing interest among the citizens of Dae-gu and the press. It soon spread throughout the nation. On the other hand, in Seoul, the Wall Removal Project falls under the parking policy, namely Green Parking. Underlying this is the fact that neighborhood streets give priority to cars rather than pedestrians and illegal parking and the arguments over parking have deteriorated residential environment. Thus, Seoul City has been promoting the Wall Removal Project for the purpose of securing parking spaces by removing the wall and putting a car into the lot inside a car owner s house. In addition, investing in landscaping, street trees and crosswalks would improve the pedestrian environment. Each ward in Seoul provide supports $5,500 per resident for one parking stall, and a maximum of $15,500 per resident. Up to the year 2005, 10,903 parking stalls of 6,076 units of house have been built, and Seoul is planning to further expand the project. While there are a number of examples across the city where Wall Removal Project has been executed, little research has been done to investigate the effects of the changes of the pedestrian environment on the sense of community. This study examines how the Wall Removal Project influences a residents sense of community. Literature Review Several studies have been done on the Wall Removal Project in the last few years. Jeong (1999) introduced the Wall Removal which has been done through the residents participation, and emphasizes the importance of community program and administrative roll. Ha & Kim (2005) suggested the Wall Removal as one ways for street planning: providing the parking area on individual lots as well as common space for residents in the community. Jo & Lim (2003) evaluated and raised concerns about the Wall Removal Project and conducted a survey on public officials and citizens. Finally, Choi (2005) analyzed residents evaluation on the Wall Removal Project and the affecting factors which promote to demolish housing. Researchers usually evaluate the positive impact of Wall Removal Project, and suggest this project as a way of revitalizing a community. However, there has not yet been any study that tried to examine the effect of pedestrian environment changes on community

3 A large number of western studies discussing the relationship between the neighborhood pedestrian environment and sense of community are encompassed by Neotraditional Development or New Urbanism which claim that the pedestrian-oriented environment of traditional neighborhoods can actually be associated with a higher sense of community than the automobile-oriented environment of modern suburban neighborhoods. (Lund 2002, 2003; Bookout 1992; Bothwell, Gindroz, and Lang 1998) Another study, however, contradicts these findings. Nasar (2003) supports the claim that higher density mixed-use developments have lower auto use, but failed to show that this form of development or the reduced use of autos translates into increased sense of community. Perhaps the different individual and physical attributes in different areas studied accounts for that. For example, individual features such as car ownership, rates of public transportation use, access to destinations, and quality of public transportation service, may affect whether or not people will use automobiles. In this study, however, the Wall Removal Project was assumed as a direct factor that affect pedestrian environment. Thus, this study intends to examine how changes in the pedestrian environment influence a resident s sense of community by investigating two neighborhoods and evaluating changes before and after the Wall Removal Project. Method A number of factors identified as contributing to sense of community tend to fall into three broad categories: influences of the physical environment, influences of the social environment, and personal/ sociodemographic influences. Of primary concern to planners and designers is the role that physical environment plays in developing and enhancing neighborhoodbased sense of community, either directly or indirectly by affecting nondesign influences such as social interaction. (Lund, 2002, p.302) In particular, a perception of the walking environment is likely to enhance one s sense of community because walking can be seen as an opportunity to meet and interact with neighbors. To examine the effects of changes in pedestrian environment on sense of community, this study compares two neighborhoods-the Wall Removal Project was carried out in one and not in the other. It is possible to establish three hypotheses. The first is that the qualities of neighborhood s pedestrian - 3 -

4 Figure 1. Location of study areas in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul. environment will be greater in the neighborhood where the Wall Removal Project has been promoted. The second is that residents of neighborhood that have already promoted the Wall Removal Project will have a higher sense of community. The last is that the qualities of the neighborhood s pedestrian environment will significantly contribute to the enhancement of the sense of community. Neighborhood Selection Siheungsam-dong was selected as the neighborhood that has promoted the Wall Removal Project, and Siheungbon-dong for the comparison. The selection of the two neighborhoods controlled, to the extent possible, household income, density, access to shops and transit, and topography. Seoul City Government appointed model village for Green Parking in each ward in Siheungsam-dong was chosen as the best model village, improving streetscape, and increasing green space, as well as securing 277 parking stalls, and separating 6-8m streets into 3-3.5m one-way roads and pedestrian streets with a total length of 4.16km. Data Collection Data were collected in the early spring of 2006 through a one-to-one survey on 100 residents (50 from each area)

5 Independent Variables The independent variables include respondent s demographics, resident s evaluation of the pedestrian environment in their neighborhood, and evaluation of environmental changes before and after the Wall Removal Project. Sociodemographic characteristics contain age, gender, number and ages of children, education level, home ownership, car ownership, approximate household income, and length of neighborhood residency. To test a resident s perceptions about the pedestrian environment in their neighborhood, respondents were asked to indicate whether they agreed or disagreed (on a five-point Likert scale) with a series of statements that address the pedestrian conditions of comfort, safety, continuity, and amenity. Table 1. Demographic characteristics of respondents Gender (%) Male Female Age Number of children (%) Education (%) Uneducated Elementary school Middle school High school University Monthly household income (%) <$1,000 $1,000 and less $2,000-$3,000 $3,000-$4,000 $4,000-$5,000 $5,000 or more Household tenure (%) Owner occupied Renter occupied Length of residency in neighborhood (years) Siheungsam-dong Siheungbon-dong

6 An evaluation of environment changes before and after the Wall Removal Project, limited to only Siheungsam-dong, includes four variables that may influence sense of community. They are resident s perceptions about changes in pedestrian environment, parking problems, privacy, and security. Each variable has three to four questions and was measured on a five-point scale. Also included is whether respondent s household participated in the project. Before After Figure 2. Streetscapes in Siheungsam-dong before and after Wall Removal Project - 6 -

7 Siheungsam-dong Siheungbon-dong Figure 3. Streetscapes in Siheungsam-dong and Siheungbon-dong - 7 -

8 Dependent Variables For sense of community, this study devised a 12-item scale with reference to Nasar & Julian (1994), Kim (1998), and Kim & Nam (2005). This tool assesses sense of belonging, sense of mutual aid, and emotional intimacy. For each item on this Likert-type scale, respondents were asked about their level of agreement. Neighboring behavior changes before and after Wall Removal Project were measured by asking respondents how they feel about changes in the frequency with respect to interactions with neighbors, number of acquaintances, and perceptions about membership and intimacy on a fivepoint scale. These variables are also limited to only residents in Siheungsamdong. Results Neighborhood Comparison The mean value for neighborhood pedestrian environment is higher in Siheungsam-dong (2.65, compared to 2.32 in Siheungbon-dong), and residents in Siheungsam-dong also have higher mean value for sense of community (3.35, compared to 3.07 in Siheungbon-dong). Sense of Community Model To test the correlation between each independent variable and sense of community, a hierarchical regression model was used. The first model includes only the demographic variables, and the second model adds evaluations of the neighborhood pedestrian environment. In each model, a stepwise regression method was used. The stepwise regression method is a procedure that inserts independent variables into a regression model. Each time a new variable is added to the model, a regression is performed and the fit is examined when the new variable, or any other previously included variable, may be rejected from the model if non-significant to the fit. The iterative process continues until a satisfactory model is obtained

9 Table 2. Evaluation of neighborhood pedestrian environment and sense of community Evaluation of pedestrian environment score (1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=not sure, 4=agree, 5=strongly agree) The sidewalk and road are well separated. I feel safe walking in my neighborhood at night. It lacks facilities for pedestrian safety when walking. There is too much car traffic in my neighborhood. Walking is obstructed by illegally parked cars. The sidewalk is narrow for its traffic volume. The sidewalk system is continuous. It lacks facilities for pedestrian convenience and rest such as benches or open spaces. Sense of community score (1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=not sure, 4=agree, 5=strongly agree) I feel I belong and am part of my neighborhood. I have friends in this neighborhood on whom I can depend when in trouble. If I feel like talking, I can generally find someone in this neighborhood to talk to right away. I am inclined to devote myself to my neighborhood. When I get in my neighborhood, I feel at home. If there were a serious problem in this neighborhood, the people here could get together to solve it. I feel alienated from my neighborhood. I feel uneasy walking in my neighborhood at night. If I had an emergency, even people I do not know in this neighborhood would be willing to help. I sympathize with neighbors in their suffering. There are people in this neighborhood, other than my family, who really care about me. I can proudly tell others about my neighborhood Siheungsamdong Siheungbondong The first model includes age, gender, number and ages of children, education level, home ownership, car ownership, household income, and length of neighborhood residency, and accounts for 26.8 percent of the total variation in sense of community. Of these variables, the age variable was found to be significantly correlated with sense of community (β=.407, t=4.305, p<.01), with gender and length of neighborhood residency showing a mild correlation, and the others were rejected as non-significant

10 The second model includes all the above variables, plus the evaluations of the neighborhood pedestrian environment. This provides a statistically significant increase of 5.2 percent in the explanatory power of the model, and evaluation of the neighborhood pedestrian environment variable is significantly correlated with sense of community (β=.233, t=2.708, p<.01). Table 3. Influence of demographic and evaluation of pedestrian environment variables on sense of community Model 1 Demographic variables only Model 2 Evaluation of pedestrian environment added B β t B β t Intercept Age *** *** Gender * * Length of residency in neighborhood * * Evaluation of pedestrian environment *** R² Adjusted R² *p=.10 **p=.05 ***p=.01 Before-and-After Evaluation of the Wall Removal Project The analysis results showed that the neighborhood pedestrian environment influences the sense of community in that neighborhood. Even so, it is not absolutely positive whether people are more likely to report higher sense of community due to changes in pedestrian environment. For example, it is possible that residents become more intimate with one another due to the decrease in the arguments over parking following the Wall Removal Project. On the contrary, the increased invasion of privacy might make people feel uneasy after removing walls. To determine the effect of various environmental change factors on the changes in the sense of community, regression analysis was conducted with independent variables (resident s perceptions about changes of pedestrian environment, parking problems, privacy, and security, and whether respondent s household participated in the project). This model accounts for 24.6 percent of the total variation in the change in the sense of community. Among the above-mentioned variables, pedestrian environment change variable was found to be most significantly correlated with the sense of

11 community (β=.463, t=3.544, p<.01). An unexpected finding is the negative relationship between privacy change and sense of community (β=-.326, t= , p<.05). Table 4. Influence of environmental change variables on sense of community B β t Intercept Pedestrian Environment Change *** Privacy Change ** R².246 Adjusted R².214 *p=.10 **p=.05 ***p=.01 Discussion The result of the neighborhood comparison supports the former two hypotheses that the qualities of neighborhood s pedestrian environment and sense of community is higher in neighborhood where the Wall Removal Project was commenced. In particular, the items for evaluating the segregation of pedestrian and vehicle, safety of walking at night, obstruction by illegally parked cars, and sidewalk continuity showed noticeable differences between Siheungsam-dong and Siheungbon-dong. The Wall Removal Project is not only intended for securing parking spaces by removing the wall, but also to make pedestrian-oriented streets by separating sidewalk from the road, paving the streets, and landscaping. For that reason, the Wall Removal Project is likely to play a great role in increasing the quality of neighborhood pedestrian environment. The sense of community model indicates three demographic variables that have a somewhat significant influence on sense of community: age, gender and length of residency. In other words, people who are female, older, and have lived longer in the neighborhood are more likely to have higher sense of community. The significant correlation between pedestrian environment evaluation and sense of community provides support for the last hypothesis. Perceptions of the walking environment are likely to enhance sense of community because walking can be linked to encountering and interacting with neighbors. In

12 particular, urban detached houses residents get together on the street, because there is a lack of open space such as park or playground. Therefore, extra spaces made by removing walls don t only offer parking stalls, but also provide open space for social interaction or small playground for children. In, addition, before-after evaluation of the Wall Removal Project clearly shows that only pedestrian environment change variable is significantly correlated with the sense of community. The negative correlation between privacy change variable and sense of community may be explained by the fact that even though privacy right is somewhat violated by removal of the wall, it does not lower the sense of community. Conclusion The primary goal of Green Parking in Seoul is to resolve parking problems in urban detached houses, and its effectiveness has been supported to some extent by several researches. However, open spaces that are formed as a result of the Wall Removal Project, have other significance in that the wall acts as a mediator between public space (street) and private space (house). From that point of view, this study investigated the effect of physical changes, particularly pedestrian environment changes, on the sense of community. First, the neighborhood comparison results show that residents in Siheungsam-dong have higher evaluation for their neighborhood pedestrian environment, and sense of community. Second, through hierarchical regression, it was determined that neighborhood pedestrian environment contribute significantly to the sense of community of that neighborhood, over and above some demographic factors. Finally, evaluation before and after the Wall Removal Project in Siheungsam-dong clarified that pedestrian environment change is the main factor to affect sense of community. One of the implications of this study is that the Wall Removal Project could be used to improve the sense of community as well as parking policy to secure parking spaces. However, this study has some limitation of small number of cases, thus, more studies investigating neighborhood with different physical attributes are needed. Additionally, we need to conduct further studies to increase our understanding of which attributes make neighborhood pedestrian environment appealing to residents, and which factors of pedestrian environment strengthen the community

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