| Social activities positively influence psychological health during childhood and adult years, as well as in later life. The design of the physical environment within elderly living facilities is an important factor in promoting social activities among the residents. Physical environments should respond to the social needs of older adults, and social interactions and social support may be enhanced by therapeutic designs. Visual connection with nature or the outdoors may be a significant factor in supporting health outcomes. Views of nature are significantly important to the elderly in terms of emotional restorative support, fostering social interactions, and enhancing health outcomes.; This study investigated the relationship between social interactions and visual connections with nature or the outdoors in the main entrance areas of facilities for the elderly. This study used a multi-method approach: a questionnaire, behavior mapping including casual field behavior observations, and a quasi-experiment with a design intervention. As a result, the findings of this study were classified according to the following environmental themes: (1) space for social interactions, (2) physical environments and social environments, and (3) impacts of visual connection with nature on social interactions.; The findings of this study demonstrate that access to nature in the main lobby area is beneficial to fostering social relationships between residents and promoting good overall social life in facilities for the elderly. In addition, physical characteristics of openness, the quality of the outside view, and satisfaction with the main lobby significantly influenced social relationships between residents and their overall social life. These findings led to design recommendations regarding elderly living facilities in order to create quality institutional living environments. |
