Perceptions and Perspectives on Youth Spaces Analyzed Through Metaphorical Expressions of Youth

This study aimed to understand youth's perceptions of youth spaces and further identify the types of youth spaces they desire. For this purpose, a metaphor analysis was conducted on 965 middle and high school students in D Metropolitan City regarding "spaces necessary for youth." Among these, 515 valid responses were analyzed using TF analysis, K-Means clustering, and LDA topic modeling. The analysis results showed that TF analysis revealed a high desire for basic functions of space and rest, with "rest," "home," "school," and "safety" being frequently mentioned. K-Means clustering identified four types of youth's multifaceted perceptions: "safe self-development space," "rest space without feeling watched," "school space," and "cozy home-like space." LDA topic analysis indicated that youth spaces are perceived as needing to be deeply connected to various aspects of life, including psychological stability, personal growth, social relationship formation, leisure and rest, needs fulfillment, and self and career exploration, beyond merely physical facilities. In conclusion, the findings clearly suggest that youth spaces should evolve into multifunctional, youth-centered spaces that are closely linked to the complex needs of youth. This study holds significance by objectively analyzing youth's inner perceptions of space and providing both objective realities and desired subjective perspectives through their metaphorical expressions. It offers academic and practical implications, contributing to the future establishment of youth space policies and operational directions. Through this, it is hoped that youth's perceptions and perspectives will be reflected in the future configuration of youth spaces.