Journal of South Architecture

The Impact of Perceived Winter Riverside Environmental Characteristics on the Mental Health of Older Adults * : A Case Study of Harbin, China

YUANQing (School of Architecture and Design, Harbin Institute of Technology; Key Laboratory of National Territory Spatial Planning and Ecological Restoration in Cold Regions, Ministry of Natural Resources), LIHongrui (School of Architecture and Design, Harbin Institute of Technology; Key Laboratory of National Territory Spatial Planning and Ecological Restoration in Cold Regions, Ministry of Natural Resources), LENGHong (School of Architecture and Design, Harbin Institute of Technology; Key Laboratory of National Territory Spatial Planning and Ecological Restoration in Cold Regions, Ministry of Natural Resources)

Abstract


Urban riverside spaces serve as important venues for older adults to engage in outdoor activities and connect with nature, and the perceived characteristics of these environments exert a significant influence on their mental health. Compared with ordinary seasons, the winter climate in cold-region cities has distinctive effects on both older adults and waterfront spaces. The pathways of influence under this specific climatic background require further investigation. Using the wintertime Harbin section of the Songhua River as the study area, this research employs structural equation modeling ( SEM) to empirically examine the impact of perceived winter riverside environments in cold regions on the mental health of older adults and to identify the mechanisms through which their different behavioral activities operate. The findings reveal that: (1) The environmental characteristics of winter riverside spaces in cold-region cities that influence the mental health of older adults consist mainly of four dimensions: social, landscape, comfort, and activity elements. (2) The pathways through which environmental perception affects mental health include both direct effects and indirect effects mediated by behavioral activities. Specifically, social and landscape elements exert direct effects on mental health and also indirect effects by influencing behavioral activities, whereas comfort and activity elements influence mental health only indirectly through behavioral activities. (3) Different behavioral activities undertaken by older adults in riverside spaces play mediating roles in the mechanism by which environmental perception affects mental health, with waterfront interactions exhibiting the strongest mediating effect. This study clarifies the mechanism through which environmental characteristics of winter riverside spaces influence the mental health of older adults, providing insights for enhancing and transforming winter riverside spaces in cold-region cities.

Keywords


winter riverside space; older adults; mental health; cold-region cities; behavioral activities

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.33142/jsa.v2i4.18078

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ISSN: 3029-2336 | Jointly published by Viser Technology Pte. Ltd. and Editorial Department of Southern Architecture