My Espoo on the Map: Perceived safety forms a part of a comfortable urban environment

The My Espoo on the Map survey provides invaluable information on residents’ experiences on their local urban environment. A 2024 Bachelor’s thesis written on the basis of the materials gathered through the survey studied the perceived safety in the urban environment in Espoo. It aimed to examine how different features of the urban structure affect the perceived safety in the area, particularly around Southern Espoo.

The thesis drew from the data of the My Espoo on the Map survey, which requested that the respondents marked the map with places where they felt safe or unsafe. In addition, diverse spatial data on e.g. population density and urban structure were utilised in the analysis.

The results show that the experiences of safety are rather evenly distributed in Espoo, but places perceived to be more unsafe are mostly located in busy central areas and near the stations. However, these findings do not mean that these areas are objectively unsafe.

In densely packed and busy environments, a range of stimuli - such as noise, crowds, and disturbances - can influence the experiences of people and the perceived safety.

In particular, the thesis revealed the importance of the quality of the environment. Good lighting, open views, the cleanliness of the environment, and the amount of activity on the street all contribute to the sense of safety. Natural monitoring also proved to be a key factor. When an area is lively, busy with people, and there are no significant visual obstructions, this strengthens experiences of safety. On the other hand, areas may be perceived as more unsafe due to dim lighting and labyrinthine or empty spaces, particularly in the evenings.

Safety should be an especially significant factor in planning the surroundings of stations since many people travel through and meet at these places on a daily basis. The sense of safety can be improved by building clear routes, good lighting, open views, and a range of services.

The maintenance and comfort of the environment also have a lot of influence over how people experience the place. Many associate littered, dirty, and poorly maintained areas with feelings of insecurity. It is therefore important to ensure that city environments are clean and well-maintained. A well-planned station area is more than just a hub for transportation: it is also a part of a functional and attractive urban environment.

The study also found that many factors beyond the built environment influence experiences of safety. Communality, the social atmosphere of the area, and people’s personal experiences significantly affect how the safety of the environment is perceived. This is why the improvement of safety is not just a structural issue but one that also includes the development of social welfare.

As a whole, the thesis implies that a sense of safety arises from the combined effect of several factors. However, urban planning can offer a significant way to influence how people perceive the urban environment. A safe environment will contribute to comfort, sustainable mobility, and the vitality of urban areas also in the future.

Author: Elsa Lassila

Elsa Lassila wrote her Bachelor’s thesis at Aalto University based on the results of the My Espoo on the Map survey. You can read the thesis in Finnish through the Aalto University archive: Perception of safety in Espoo’s urban environment(external link, opens in a new window)

Interested in the results of the My Espoo on the Map survey? You’ll find more information and articles on the survey website(external link, opens in a new window).