PhD Researcher

Mr BI Xia

ORCID ID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2337-3964

PhD Research 

Positive Solitude: Rethinking public open space design in densely populated urban contexts — A Study in Hong Kong

Abstract

Environmental design to facilitate positive solitude (PS) has been increasingly emphasised. This research will examine the concept of positive solitude and its relevance to public open space design in densely populated urban areas, with a focus on Hong Kong. More than half of Hong Kong residents visit public open spaces on a solitary basis, but there is a lack of appropriate public space design to support and improve the quality of solitary activities. This research will develop a theoretical framework combining self-determination theory and PERMA theory that can assist designers in supporting and improving the quality of solitary activities in such spaces. A mixed-methods approach is planned involving direct observation, on-site interviews, on-site questionnaires and spatial analysis. The research will generate design guides and suggestions, provide new perspectives on public open space design and help designers cater to the diverse needs of users. 

Keywords

Positive solitude, public open space, densely populated urban context, spatial design, self-determination theory

Introduction

According to the theory of evolution, humans are social beings that require the presence of other individuals to survive (Hawkley & Cacioppo, 2010). However, solitude is a common human experience (Burger, 1995). Humans encounter solitude for various reasons throughout their lifetimes and subjectively adjust to it in multiple ways. Some people experience the sorrow and desolation of social isolation due to withdrawal from social connections or exclusion (Detrixhe et al., 2014; Larson & Csikszentmihalyi, 1978). Others might choose solitude to escape the demands of a busy life, for peaceful meditation, to cultivate their creative impulses or to communicate with nature (Coplan et al., 2021).

In recent years, both positive and negative aspects of solitude have been discussed by scholars in the field of psychology (Coplan et al., 2019; Lay, 2018; T. T. Nguyen et al., 2021; Ost Mor et al., 2021, 2021; Palgi et al., 2021; Thomas & Azmitia, 2019; Weinstein et al., 2022). Notably, scholars have found that positive solitude can have specific psychological advantages because the capacity to appreciate a solitary experience can improve life quality (Ost Mor et al., 2021). However, there is limited research on the effect of spatial design on demand for positive solitude, particularly in public open spaces (T. Nguyen & Taylor-Bower, 2023). Since the distinction between public and private emerged in the seventeenth century and became firmly established in the twentieth, the home has been seen as the centre of private life and solitary activity (de Macedo et al., 2022), and public open space has been understood as an arena for exclusively communal activities (Carmona, 2021). However, in Hong Kong half of the population uses public open spaces in a solitary way (Civic Exchange, 2018). Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated regions in the world, providing only 2.7 square metres of public open space per person (Civic Exchange, 2017), and there is a lack of appropriate public open spaces for solitary usage. 

In light of this deficit in public open space design, and to address the lack of research on the effect of spatial design on demand for positive solitude, this PhD research study will examine Hong Kong residents’ motivation for positive solitude, and will use multidisciplinary approaches to explore how public open space design can support positive solitary experiences.

Research Questions

This PhD research will address the following research question and sub-questions:

Research question: What kinds of public open spaces in densely populated urban areas motivate people to engage in positive solitude and enhance their experience?

• Sub-research question 1: How can positive solitude be facilitated in public open spaces?
• Sub-research question 2: What shapes Hong Kong people’s motivation to engage in positive solitude in public spaces and their experiences in doing so?
• Sub-research question 3: What public open space designs encourage people to seek positive solitude in public spaces and enhance their experience?

Significance and Value

This research will provide a new perspective on public open space design for positive solitude in densely populated urban contexts. Focusing on Hong Kong as a case study, it will provide a contextualised understanding of positive solitude in public open spaces, create a conceptual framework of users’ motivation to pursue positive solitude in such spaces and their experiences in doing so, and explore of the role of design in providing spaces that cater to users’ solitary needs. Detailed design guides and suggestions will be developed as part of the research. These recommendations could improve people’s experiences of positive solitude in public open spaces in Hong Kong and other dense urban contexts. In a wider sense, this research will enhance our understanding of people’s solitary needs in the public sphere and will help to ensure that public open space designs cater to the diverse needs of users.

Qualifications and Awards

Master of Art, Interior Behaviours, Interior Design, School of Architecture, Royal College of Art, London, United Kingdom, 2018-2020

Bachelor of Art, Studio Home Better Home, Product Design, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China, 2013-2017 

'Solitudism' C-IDEA Design Grand Award, 2021

'Solitudism' C-IDEA Design Award Exhibition, Seoul, South Korea, 2021

'Solitudism' Singapore Art Design Contest Silver Award, 2021

'Solitudism' CADA Japanese Conceptual Design Bronze Award, 2021

'Solitudism' Hong Kong Contemporary Design Bronze Awards, 2021

'Solitudism' Britan International Creative Competition Bronze Award, 2021

'Solitudism' Zhu Hai Design Week New Force Grand Award, 2020

'Democratic Seat' Kortirjk Design Week 2019, Kortrijk, Belgium, 2019

'The Corner' C Foundation Scholarship for Excellence Program National Award, China,  2017

Supervisor

Prof. Kin Wai Michael Siu