Assessing Biophilic Design, Place Quality, and Sustainability in Commercial Leisure Spaces: Case Studies in Bangkok’s CBD
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Abstract
Rapid urbanization has increased the demand for commercial leisure spaces that support human well-being, high-quality public environments, and environmental sustainability. In Bangkok’s central business district (CBD), contemporary shopping malls increasingly integrate biophilic design, placemaking strategies, and sustainability initiatives to enhance visitor experience and environmental responsibility. This study investigates how biophilic design, place quality, and sustainability can be jointly achieved and evaluated in commercial leisure spaces.
An integrated biophilic and sustainable place framework was developed through an extensive literature review, synthesizing the 15 Patterns of Biophilic Design, the Twelve Quality Criteria for public spaces, and the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The framework was applied as an observational assessment tool to three case studies in Bangkok’s CBD: an indoor future-oriented commercial destination, an elevated urban rooftop park, and an outdoor pedestrian walking street. On-site observations were conducted by a multidisciplinary observer team using a three-point scoring system across 44 indices.
The results indicate that all case studies demonstrate strong place quality, while differing in their approaches to biophilic design and sustainability. The rooftop urban park achieves the highest overall performance due to its rich, multi-sensory human–nature interactions. The indoor commercial space excels in sustainability alignment and programmatic innovation, while the outdoor walking street demonstrates strengths in social vitality and enjoyment. Overall, the findings suggest that authentic biophilic environments, diverse activity programming, and visible sustainability initiatives significantly enhance user experience and sustainability awareness. The proposed framework offers a transferable tool for evaluating biophilic and sustainable commercial leisure spaces in dense urban contexts.
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