A Study on Public Design Applicability Through Extraction of Healing Environment Elements

(Background and Purpose) The paradigm of the urban environment is also shifting as it is undergoing rapid urbanization. In this process, various social problems are exposed, and the public space, emphasizing the functional aspect in the existing urban environment, has limitations in meeting the needs of the users. These problems led to increased interest in the psychological environment, and it has become an opportunity to recognize the need for an urban environment that meets user needs. The purpose of this study is to analyze the types of healing environments through preceding research and to propose the feasibility of their applications to public design through the extraction of healing environment elements based on the analysis. (Method) In Chapter 2, we theoretically examined the concept of the healing environment and the trends of the preceding research. In Chapter 3, we reconstructed the healing environment types through the analysis of preceding research. In Chapter 4, we derived concrete elements according to reclassified healing environment types, and conducted a comprehensive analysis. In Chapter 5, we presented the results of the research based on the preceding research. (Results) In the analysis of the preceding research, nine types of existing healing environments derived based on frequency were reclassified as physical environment, psychological environment, social environment, and behavioral environment. First, among the types of healing environments, the physical environment has objective and physical characteristics, and its concrete elements like pathfinding and accessibility have the same meaning as ¡°accessibility¡± in public design evaluation items. Second, the psychological environment is an intrinsic factor. Concrete elements derived from this type of healing environment include privacy, comfort, habitability, and intimacy. Third, the social environment holds an objective and its related factors. Concrete elements derived from this type of healing environment include social interaction, communication, sociality, public sphere, system, regulation, and program. Fourth, the behavioral environment is an external factor, and its concrete elements include information exchange, environmental adaptability, and interaction. (Conclusions) Natural factors in the physical environment have an effect of providing psychological stability to the users which infers it is essential in obtaining healing effect of the users. In the psychological environment, it is found that psychological stability and healing concepts are applied by providing a space for users, based on the element of comfort. In the social and behavioral environments, it was found that creating the space where the community can be activated is highly important. This can be applied as a vital component in public design which emphasizes publicness. This study has its significance in recognizing the importance of the user-centered psychological environments in healing environments, and its value is in that it suggests the possibility of applying the elements of healing environments to public design.