Ghanbari et al. 2026
How do our streets influence the way we feel when walking?
The FragMent team explored this question by comparing real-life walks with virtual reality (VR) experiences involving 47 adults. Participants experienced two types of streets: pedestrian-friendly areas and streets dominated by traffic. The results showed that people felt safer, more comfortable, relaxed and happier in pedestrian-friendly environments, both in real life and in VR. However, real-world walks generally produced more positive feelings than virtual ones. These findings suggest that VR can help urban planners test street designs and develop healthier, more enjoyable cities for everyone.
