Investigating public health through urban form data mining with geographic information system and space syntax

In this paper, we investigate the importance of urban form towards public health using geographic information system (GIS) and space syntax methods. Hankou riverside area of China is selected as a case study. Urban fabric and street network are combined for a comprehensive image of urban form. First, five formal indicators are calculated based on GIS. Second, axial and visibility analysis of space syntax are joined for complement. The result indicates that the selected area has a good potential of richness and complexity of urban fabric. Suitable urban form could stimulate activities and social interactions, which are beneficial to people's physical condition and mental strength. It also reveals that its street network presents a multi-hierarchical structure and spatial wholeness from local scale to city scale. The paper proposes to maintain the vitality of urban form to increase diversity of urban life.