A Study on the Space Layout and Configuration of Shopping Malls in Relation to Pedestrian Movement Behavior - Case of UAE

Abstract

Abstract:The research aims to understand the relationship between the popularity and attractiveness of commercial buildings, shopping malls and any relationship with visitor satisfaction. This would assist in designing new malls or commercial buildings, predict their degree of popularity, and help achieve both higher revenue resulting from increasing the number of visitors and their satisfaction, comfort and enjoyment of the space. This study will focus on the relationship between shopping mall popularity and wayfinding. Planned and unplanned visits to some specific areas inside the malls will be considered. These areas are: 1-Facilities: prayer rooms, and washrooms, etc.; 2-The largest areas in size and often with the highest number of visitors: food courts, cinemas, play areas; and 3-ATM machines. The objective of this paper is to verify three hypotheses: 1. The popularity of a mall is positively related to visitor satisfaction with wayfinding in the mall; 2. The popularity of a mall is positively related to visitor satisfaction with the location of facilities in the mall; 3. The location of facilities in a mall is positively related to visitor satisfaction with wayfinding in the mall. Surveys were conducted in the city of Abu Dhabi and the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique was used to verify these hypotheses.

Users’ Experience of Digital Wayfinding Screens: A Uses and Gratification Perspective from South Africa

“…Kutnicki [9] emphasises that "directing and orientating of shoppers in public mall space is an essential concern for how citizens in a consumer-based economy, not only judge how to move about freely, but also how they situate those judgments according to prearranged forms of spatial guidance systems, such as wayfinding media." Digital signage with wayfinding screens has been proven to enhance shopping mall attractiveness and enjoyment by offering a sense of direction and decrease the time spent getting lost or looking for intended outlets [10,11].…”

Evaluating the Legibility of Complex Buildings: A Quantitative Model for Indoor Wayfinding

“…Ten of the reviewed references agreed that Plan Configuration, Architectural Differentiation, and Visual Accessibility are the three most important variables [10]- [12], [18], [19], [23]- [27]. While Garling et al [20] suggested that Plan Configuration and Visual Accessibility are the most effective ones.…”

“…Three references considered Architectural Differentiation as one of the three most affecting variables along with Plan Configuration and Landmarks [2], [14], [15]. In addition to, ten references that regarded it as one of the three most important variables with Plan Configuration and Visual Accessibility [10]- [12], [18], [19], [23]- [27]. Architectural Differentiation was mentioned in seventeen of the reviewed references: thirteen of which considered it one of the three most effective variables.…”

“…Ten References agreed that Visual Accessibility is one of the three most important variables [10]- [12], [18], [19], [23]- [27], along with Garling et al [20] who regarded it as one of two most effective variables. Visual Accessibility was mentioned in fourteen of the reviewed references: eleven of which considered it one of the most effective variables.…”

Editorial introduction

“…The subject of people's satisfaction and comfort while using spaces takes us to the fourth paper by Meziani and Hussien (2017). Entitled: "A Study On the space layouts and configurations of shopping malls in relation to pedestrian movement behavior-Case of UAE".…”