Assessing the effects of spatial configuration on visibility in retail environment
List of Authors
  • Amran Abdul Rahim, Azhan Abdul Aziz, Masturina Hafizah Che Hafizie, Md Anwar Md Yusuf

Keyword
  • Shopping Mall Layout, Circulation, Retail Tenant Arrangement

Abstract
  • Visual access to shops is vital in a retail environment. The shape of the circulation spaces plays a role in this context in determining the extent of visitors’ visual field. This paper examines how the different configuration of circulation space would affect the level of visibility of retail shops in different locations. A shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur with varying shapes of circulation space was selected as a case study. The study employs the space syntax method, which has been instrumental in the understanding and interpreting spatial qualities of complex buildings and urban spaces quantitatively. This analytical procedure evaluates the degree of visibility within the internal space of the study area and reveals that the location of retail tenants in a mall with a grid spatial organization showed a varied visibility effect due to the different shapes of the circulation space despite the regular and uniform grid-plan arrangement.

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