Toward Healthy Underground Spaces: A Review of Underground Environmental Design Factors and Their Impacts on Users' Physiological and Psychological Health

Abstract

Objective:

This study aims to review and synthesize what design factors are associated with the physiological and psychological health of occupants in underground spaces.

Background:

The development of underground spaces offers options to global challenges, such as traffic congestion, urban overcrowding, the revitalization of dormant underground areas, disaster mitigation, and adaptation to extreme environments. Despite these advantages, concerns persist about potential adverse effects on human health in these environments. This situation underlines the necessity of systematically identifying concerns and perceptions related to health in underground spaces.

Methods:

A narrative literature review was conducted to examine the relationship between design factors and health factors across 21 empirical studies. Based on the review of the identified literature, a relationship diagram was developed to depict the interconnections between the identified design and health factors.

Results:

The analysis identified design factors related to the air, sound, light, nature, transport, and spatial context of underground spaces, each of which exerted relationships with occupants’ physiological and psychological health factors. The relationship diagram indicated that the psychological factor “feeling of confinement” was mentioned most frequently, suggesting that it is one of the most extensively researched factors in this context.

Conclusions:

The relationship diagram aims to bridge the existing knowledge gap and set the stage for future research endeavors. The ultimate goal is to refine urban living standards by leveraging the potential of underground spaces while ensuring health and well-being.