Review and Prospect of Research on Residential Balcony Environment from the Perspective of Healing

Abstract

: [Objective] Residential balcony, as an important healing space in family life, is gradually becoming a new topic of research in the field of habitat environment. Residential balcony plays an important role in improving environmental quality, promoting physical and mental health, and achieving physical and mental recovery. Clarifying the progress and development trend of the research on balcony environment and forming a systematic understanding of the healing benefits of balcony environment are of great theoretical and practical significance to enhance the quality of living environment, promote health and well-being, and accelerate physical and mental recovery. [Methods] From the perspective of the research on healing benefits of balcony environment, this research screens a total of 211 English literature and 35 Chinese literature from the Web of Science core collection database and the China Knowledge Network (CNKI) database as data sources for research analysis. The research is based on a review of relevant research hotspots, contents and methods at home and abroad, and a review of the current status, trends, limitations and shortcomings of current research. [Results] The researches on healing benefits of balcony environment can be divided into three areas. From the “environment − perception” perspective, the research explores the healing effects of balcony environment perception in promoting positive emotions, enhancing cognitive abilities, restoring attention, and relieving stress. From the “environment − activity” perspective, the research explores the physical and mental healing effects of gardening and the physical and social activities sustained by balcony in strengthening immunity, reducing psychological burden, maintaining stable social relationships, and building social capital. From the “environment − ecology” perspective, the research explores the healing effects of the combination of the physical environment and greening of balcony, finding that the physical environment of balcony can help strengthen natural ventilation and thermal comfort, while balcony greening can help adsorb harmful substances and maintain carbon and oxygen balance, thus improving the quality of living environment, and promoting physiological indicators of recovery and other functional health aspects. The research