Active Design and Physical Activity of Office Worker in Public Space

Abstract

Lacking physical activity can cause risks of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) on urban residences, particularly in working-age groups who work in the office buildings, leading to premature death. This article aims to study physical factors to promote physical activities in the public space of office buildings, by applying the Active Design concept onto three office buildings in Silom, CBD of Bangkok. The research method employed observation of physical and behavioral data in the public space of the sampled office buildings. The approach to this method was designed to assess the physical activity level of the Silom’s office workers as compared with the adequate standard levels of physical activity. The result revealed that the 318 samples had an average walking distance of 209 meters in 10 minutes, which was four times lower than the adequate levels of physical activity. Two sets of physical factors were found promoting the levels of physical activities in office buildings, including: 1) direct factors such as urban rail transit, feeder network, mixed land use and quality of pedestrian and building surroundings. 2) indirect factors which contribute to social interaction, such as pocket space of building surroundings, the sequence of transition space levels between the office building and public space. Both sets of factors work together to create a lively environment and more opportunities for daily physical activity. The contribution of the research findings will be useful to professional and academic practices in health and well-being concerns in architecture and urban design.