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Extra Credit, Public Observation Assignment       LYU   YANGCHENG2021008895

 My two-week learning experience in the school cafe

May 3, 2025

In the past two weeks, I have done something that seems simple but is full of inspiration. Four times a week, I sit in a cafe near the school and quietly observe people's behavior. This observation task is part of my public observation course and is inspired by urban theorist William H. White, who believes that the physical design of space has a profound impact on people's behavior.

1) So, what did I do?

Four times a week, I choose to observe in different time periods in the school cafe, usually from 10 to 11 am. In order not to disturb others, I always choose a relatively hidden seat against the corner. I took my notebook, seating chart and my latte, sat quietly, observed and recorded the surrounding scenes. My goal is to record the following aspects:

Where do people sit? Do they choose seats near the window, corner or middle?

Are they alone? Or are they with friends or classmates?

What are they doing? Are they drinking coffee and chatting, working on their laptops, playing with their phones, or reading books?

How does spatial design affect their behavior, especially the arrangement of seats and the comfort of the environment.

Each time I observe, I will record the seat choice and behavior of each newcomer within five minutes, and try to analyze the spatial factors behind these behaviors.

2) What did I find?

After two weeks of observation, I found several patterns, many behaviors are consistent with White's theory, and present some interesting details:

Edge rule

The most popular seats are often located in the edge area of ​​the cafe: seats by the window, sofas in the corner, or tables near the wall. Every time I observe, almost all newcomers will choose to sit in these positions. Even in groups of two or three, they will choose seats by the side and avoid sitting in the middle of the hall. White's "edge effect" theory is reflected here: people are more inclined to choose a position where they can observe the surrounding environment without being completely exposed to others' sight.

For example, on a sunny morning, a young woman walked into the cafe and quickly chose a window seat, with her back to the window but facing the entrance and exit of the cafe. She put her laptop on the table and started working, but looked around from time to time, as if observing others. This behavior shows that she needs some privacy to concentrate, but also wants to see what is going on around her.

Sunlight Magnet

Sunlight seems to play the role of a "magnet" in the cafe, attracting all customers who seek light. Every time I observed, almost all customers chose seats near the window, especially in the morning. Even some seats are not far from the window, but customers still adjust their positions to get as close to the sunlight as possible. This behavior shows the strong influence of sunlight on space selection. As White said, sunlight is a "magnet" that naturally attracts people.

For example, one morning, I saw a middle-aged man in sportswear sitting in the central area of ​​the cafe. However, as soon as he sat down, he quickly adjusted his seat position and moved himself to the area where the sun was shining. This detail made me realize that the natural flow of light silently guides people's behavior.

High proportion of people alone

Although the cafe is a public social space, most of the time, customers are alone. Some people work with laptops, some read books, and some even use their mobile phones quietly. Observing this made me realize that although the space is "public", people seem to create their own private space in this environment. The cafe has become a place for private rituals, providing a relatively quiet and comfortable space for people to work or relax independently.

For example, once I noticed a boy sitting alone on a sofa in a corner, holding a thick book and reading quietly. He hardly interacted with anyone and seemed completely immersed in his own world. This behavior shows the delicate balance between public space and private needs.

Comfort affects the length of stay

Sofa areas and soft chairs are always occupied longer than hard, backless chairs. Every time I observed that once customers sat on the sofa, they would stay for a long time, and some even took books, notebooks and coffee and sat for several hours. In contrast, customers stayed for a shorter time on hard chairs and high chairs near the cashier. White once mentioned that the comfort of a space directly affects the length of time we stay in it, and a comfortable environment will make us more willing to stay there for a long time.

For example, a business person in a suit sat down on a hard chair, looked at the menu, and quickly got up and left. In contrast, a woman I saw sitting in the sofa area spent almost an hour working and texting. Apparently, the sofa gave her more comfort and she was not eager to leave.

Self-organized behavior

People usually move around the cafe in a regular way. Whether queuing for food or exchanging seats with others, everyone seems to be able to naturally avoid interfering with each other and move between furniture in an orderly manner. For example, when queuing, customers usually keep a proper distance and consciously stand in a line to avoid crowding. This "self-organized" behavior surprised me: people can interact effectively in a shared space without any explicit instructions.

I also noticed that people's polite interactions were also very subtle. Whether changing seats or walking past others, they always avoided physical collisions with others, and even actively adjusted their pace to maintain a certain spatial distance when passing through narrow passages.

3) Was the observation process interesting?

To be honest, the results were surprising - yes, very interesting. Initially, I never thought that simple sitting and observing would bring so many insights. I learned to see spatial design not as mere decoration, but as a silent force that guides behavior. Watching strangers adjust their behavior naturally without explicit guidance really made me feel the subtle influence of spatial design.

4) What did I learn?

This observation gave me a new understanding of daily life. Through observation, I found that design choices (such as the location of windows and the layout of sofas) can really influence interpersonal interactions. White's theory is more vivid than ever, no longer limited to New York Square, but also active in the coffee shop around me. This experience made me pay more attention to the public spaces around us and think about how they shape our behavior. Accessibility: The space should be naturally connected to the street, visually open and easy to enter.

Seating: Plenty of comfortable seating is key, and steps, low walls, movable chairs, etc. are all effective options.

Social interaction opportunities: Good spaces can encourage people to stay, talk and interact. . Food: Food stalls and cafes can greatly enhance the vitality of a space and extend people's stay time.

Sunlight and microclimate: Plenty of sunlight and a comfortable microclimate (wind and shade) can enhance attraction. Water features: Water features such as fountains naturally attract people and promote relaxed interaction. Finally, the key points are: 1. Form follows purpose: Design should serve people, not the form itself. 2. Good design is invisible design: Details determine the quality of space, not the macro form. 3. Observation first: All design judgments should be based on real usage data.