Exploring the Impact of Vertical Access Elements on Visual Richness and Space Quality within Shopping Mall Atriums

Shopping malls have become vibrant public spaces, serving as commercial centers and sociocultural hubs. However, the arrangement of stationary elements such as elevators and escalators significantly impacts the visual quality of the atrium and the overall navigation experience within the complex. This research focuses on analyzing the configuration of elevators and escalators in shopping mall atriums and their influence on visual richness and accessibility. Descriptive-analytical and survey methods are employed, utilizing data from 10 successful malls worldwide. The UCL-Depth map software and space syntax variables are used for analysis. Connectivity, clustering-coefficient, and controllability analyses assess visual richness, while integration, mean-depth, entropy, depth, step-depth, and gate-count analyses evaluate accessibility. The research includes a questionnaire to obtain optimal indices for each space syntax variable, enhancing the accuracy of the findings. The results highlight the significant impact of the positioning of vertical access elements within the atrium on its visual richness and the accessibility of shops. The research identifies an optimal configuration: placing the escalator in the middle of the atrium, deviating 30° from the entrance axis, and separately locating the elevators. This configuration provides the highest level of access to shops and the central atrium from any point, minimizing the number of turns required to reach different locations within the mall. Furthermore, the separate placement of elevators improves the flow of individuals between shops and the atrium, resulting in increased integration. In conclusion, selecting an appropriate configuration of elevators and escalators in shopping mall atriums can greatly enhance wayfinding and improve the visual richness and accessibility of the complex. Architects and designers can utilize these findings to optimize the design of public spaces within shopping centers, promoting social interactions and enhancing the overall visitor experience.