Co-presence patterns in dispersed residential neighbourhoods of Brazilian medium-sized cities

This research aimed to explain the co-presence patterns in public spaces, i.e. pedestrian movement rates, based on the analysis of spatial patterns established in street segments. Two dispersed residential neighbourhoods with different spatial characteristics – morphological configuration, land use and physical/visual permeability – were analysed in Santa Maria city. Generalized linear regression models were used to infer the relations among variables. The research question was: which spatial characteristics are related to co-presence in public spaces of dispersed residential neighbourhoods? The configurational morphological attributes had statistical significance for almost all regression models for neighbourhood 1. In neighbourhood 2, commercial activity was significant and positively related with all models. The results regarding physical and visual permeability were inconclusive for both study areas.