Our research project aims to discover the elements for human interactions in the urban environment of New York City. We attempted to answer the following question: Do urban environments stimulate the cross-fertilization between people or is it the people that are the activators of urban environments? The knowledge we gained resembles the “chicken or egg” question. Our research led us to believe that no one element, geographical or situational, is a complete cause or effect without the other. After careful observation and analysis, we came to the following conclusion about the link between urban design and human interaction: there are four initial elements that need to co-occur. They are Comfort, Convenience, Discovery, and Opportunity, as well as related elements such as a sense of Belonging, Proximity and Security. Our research provided the foundation for generating the design guidelines and parameters necessary to enhance the synergistic relationship between people and the urban environment.

 http://issuu.com/kelseywilbon/docs/2012-12-12