Landscape architects have long known that people are most likely to walk in contact with the ground on a grassy park path or a dirt trail since these surfaces allow humans to differentiate between their feet and the ground. Such a difference enhances spatial awareness and dexterity, which leads to increased human interaction with natural landscapes. Different reasons prompt individuals to opt for rough terrains over smoother pavements. The understanding of human action and interaction with nature needs to be improved for landscape architects to fully grasp the needs of pedestrians and design appropriate pedestrian intervention strategies across different terrains. This blog focuses on people’s preference for rough and rugged terrain over paved surfaces and the motivation behind such choices.
- Ability to Interact with Nature and the Environment
Rough and rugged terrains are generally preferred as there is a greater opportunity for people to interact directly with their environment. For example, hikers can easily distinguish between the ground and their shoes when walking on rough surfaces such as dirt trails, whereas they need to take much more caution when walking on smooth pavement. Pavement offers less environmental awareness and poses a greater risk for people to slip and fall. Lacking a distinction between feet and ground also contributes to an overall sense of vertigo, which is why individuals prefer large open areas with unobstructed views. Hence, this can be viewed as a significant factor that attracts people to rough terrain instead of smooth pavements. - Comfort, Safety, and Ease of Movement
Rough terrains are generally easier to walk on, wherein the pedestrian can easily identify the ground with their feet and make appropriate adjustments in speed or direction. For example, if the ground is broken or uneven, it is much easier for people to adjust their gait and map out a more comfortable walking motion.
On the other hand, smooth pavements need to clarify the ground and feet, making it more difficult for people to navigate through crowded areas. The sense of vertigo is also an off-putting factor when walking on smooth pavements. People who suffer from motion sickness and those affected by postural instability, who lose their balance easily or experience difficulty standing still and moving their eyes, are likely to experience discomfort when walking on smooth pavements. Hence, this is a factor contributing to the behavior.
- As a form of ‘Exercise’ or physical activity
The feeling of movement is another significant factor that encourages people to walk on rough terrains. Walking on rough surfaces enhances human interaction with the environment, whereas walking on smooth pavements, which lack interaction between the ground and feet, leads to an overall sense of stillness. Statistics indicate that 78 % of individuals opt to walk on rough terrain because it is a form of leisure or physical activity. Rough terrains offer an added sense of exercise not just because they are more difficult to navigate but also because they are more strenuous. - Aesthetics
People who prefer rough terrains believe these landscapes look more beautiful and add to the overall landscape, whereas smooth pavements appear dull and monotonous. For example, people enjoy strolling over grassy park paths and dirt trails instead of concrete pavements, which tend to appear flat and uniform. While smooth pavements provide a uniform and smooth visual experience, rough terrains offer diverse landscapes and landscapes of different degrees of naturalness. - The psychology of Choice
This aspect constitutes the last and most important factor which contributes to the preference for rough terrains over smooth pavements. Humans generally feel a sense of fear or anxiety when faced with choices that offer no clear-cut distinction between the objective and subjective. A choice can only be considered a conscious decision if an added sense of risk or uncertainty is involved. Hence, people who prefer rough terrains are more likely to be risk-takers, and people who prefer smooth pavements tend to be less adventurous.
In conclusion, these five factors all contribute to the preference for rough terrains over smooth pavements when comparing different terrains from a human-centric perspective. Landscape architects and planners should consider people’s motivation behind liking rough terrain over smooth pavements as a space-sensitive approach to design can lead to the creation of great environments.
