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Although traveling can be enjoyable, many individuals do not enjoy spending time at airports. However, research has shown that airport lounges are becoming increasingly popular as a space for transit passengers, with many air travelers using them multiple times for various reasons, before their flight or during a layover. This research aimed to study the features of the airport lounge identified by the 15 transit passengers, their lounge experience and services deemed salient to air passengers during long-haul travel. The data were collected by utilizing a qualitative method, non-probability purposive sampling, and semi-structured interviews. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Qualitatively, three themes manifest in transit passengers’ airport lounge experience: added value services, amenities and human touch. Results suggest that a lounge should provide a more personalized and comfortable experience, allowing passengers to make the most of their time before departure and providing tourism marketers with practical insights into the creation of a strategy for airline lounges that focuses on meeting the needs and desires of transit passengers and emphasizing the unique experience offered by the lounges. This study offers valuable insights into the practical consequences for airport lounge vendors and stop-over destination service providers with a better understanding of transit preferences.

This study examined whether layering spatial partitions and symbolic identity cues can transform underdefined university lounges into supportive social environments. In a within-subjects experiment, 60 architecture students experienced three lounge configurations in random order: (A) baseline, (B) partitions presented via mixed reality (MR), and (C) partitions plus identity cues via MR. After each condition, participants rated perceived territorial characteristics (PTC; spatial comfort, openness, territorial control, and symbolic identity) and sense of community (SOC; need fulfillment, membership, influence, and emotional connection). Repeated-measures ANOVAs with sphericity corrections showed stepwise increases (A < B < C) for territorial outcomes—overall PTC, spatial comfort, territorial control, and symbolic identity (ηp2 ≈ 0.61–0.70, all p < 0.001). Openness remained high but was unchanged across conditions and unrelated to SOC (all p > 0.05). For community outcomes, improvements emerged only in Design C across the total score and all subdimensions (A = B < C; ηp2 ≈ 0.17–0.28; all p ≤ 0.01). MR presence did not differ between B and C (all p > 0.05), indicating that gains in C are attributable to territorial/identity cues rather than immersion. Design-wise correlation analyses revealed positive links between territorial control/symbolic identity and SOC indices (r ≈ 0.45–0.78). The findings support a complementary design framework: permeable partitions make boundaries salient, and symbolic identity cues add shared meaning, modestly strengthening community connection. MR serves as a context-embedded preoccupancy evaluation platform for capturing psychosocial responses to spatial design.

Traditional furniture design methods often fall short in revealing users’ deeper psychological and emotional needs. This study innovatively introduced the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET) as an exploratory tool in the field of furniture design to bridge the cognitive gap between latent user needs and practical design. Through image collection, laddering interviews, and Kelly Repertory Grid Technique (RGT), cognitive modeling was conducted with six high-involvement users. A total of 119 concepts were identified, covering ten design attributes (e.g., “ergonomic fit,” “warm color tones”), seven emotional needs (e.g., “stress relief,” “immersive experience”), and five value hierarchies (e.g., “sense of belonging,” “self-actualization”). The resulting Hierarchical Value Map (HVM) illustrated a three-level structure of “attribute–consequence–value,” clearly mapping the psychological pathway from product features to core user values. The findings revealed that users expect more than basic functionality from wooden lounge chairs, seeking emotional resonance, lifestyle alignment, and identity expression. ZMET was shown to be effective in uncovering non-verbalized user needs and offers a theoretical and methodological framework for value-driven, user-centered furniture design.

Timber lounge bridges are architecturally significant ancient bridges in China. They have unique shapes and gentle structures that are particularly vulnerable to wind loads. Owing to their uniqueness, the wind pressure distribution characteristics of these bridges differ from those of ordinary buildings or bridges. Therefore, to explore these characteristics, refined, scaled, and rigid models of beam- and arch-type lounge bridges were produced using 3D printing technology. Wind pressure tests in wind tunnels were conducted for different bridge span structures and open states of lounge houses. The results showed that in most cases, the influence of the bridge span structure on the wind pressure on the lounge bridge roof was negligible. However, for a fully closed lounge house, the presence of weatherboards in the bridge span structure significantly increased the negative wind pressure on the roof. The difference in the wind pressure distribution among the three states—fully open, semi-open, and fully closed—was evident. Based on the findings, removing the upper weatherboards on the bridge house and the weatherboards for arches during high wind speeds, effectively change the direction of forces on the roof, thereby lowering the possibility of the roof being blown upwards.

The timber arch lounge bridge is a special type of Chinese architectural heritage that is widely distributed in the southern Zhejiang Province and the northern Fujian Province. The precondition of planning the preventive conservation of built cultural heritage is the reliable evaluation of the structure safety, which enables the planners or decision-makers to comprehensively understand the complex damaged situation of the bridge and figure out a grading system for the bridge safety state. This paper puts forward a universal safety evaluation method for ancient Chinese timber arch lounge bridges. Special stress is given to the weight assignments during the procedure. Moreover, following the proposed evaluation method a case study of Wenxing Bridge is conducted, which could give a better insight into the evaluating process. This study contributes to a step forward, from the qualitative cognition to the quantitative assessment, on the way of evaluating the structure safety condition of ancient Chinese timber arch lounge bridges.

Timber arch lounge bridges, as an important architectural heritage, face challenges such as insufficient research on seismic performance, incomplete evaluation indicators, and uncertain evaluation methods. Existing seismic evaluation methods are primarily qualitative analyses based on modern bridges, which fail to fully consider the structural characteristics and mechanical behaviors of timber arch lounge bridges. This study proposes a novel quantitative evaluation framework that systematically integrates site conditions, seismic-resistant construction, material deterioration, and structural responses to enable rapid and accurate seismic safety evaluations. The improved analytic hierarchy process (IAHP) is developed by incorporating component importance analysis (CIA), which considers multi-directional seismic actions. The Wenxing Bridge is taken as a case study to demonstrate the evaluation process. The results show that the king columns, penta-segment oblique members, and tri-segment oblique members are not only vulnerable components under seismic actions, but their failure also significantly impact s the structural integrity. The seismic safety of Wenxing Bridge under the design basis earthquake action is Grade II, indicating moderate damage. The proposed method exhibits generalizability and can provide a scientific basis for seismic evaluation and preventive conservation of ancient timber arch lounge bridges.

Background Public support of public health measures including physical distancing, masking, staying home while sick, avoiding crowded indoor spaces and contact tracing/exposure notification applications remains critical for reducing spread of COVID-19. The aim of our work was to understand current behaviours and attitudes towards public health measures as well as barriers individuals face in following public health measures. We also sought to identify attitudes persons have regarding a COVID-19 vaccine and reasons why they may not accept a vaccine. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in August 2020, in Alberta, Canada in persons 18 years and older. This survey evaluated current behaviours, barriers and attitudes towards public health measures and a COVID-19 vaccine. Cluster analysis was used to identify key patterns that summarize data variations among observations. Results Of the 60 total respondents, the majority of persons were always or often physically distancing (73%), masking (65%) and staying home while sick (67%). Bars/pubs/lounges or nightclubs were visited rarely or never by 63% of respondents. Persons identified staying home while sick to provide the highest benefit (83%) in reducing spread of COVID-19. There were a large proportion of persons who had not downloaded or used a contact tracing/exposure notification app (77%) and who would not receive a COVID-19 vaccine when available (20%) or were unsure (12%). Reporting health authorities as most trusted sources of health information was associated with greater percentage of potential uptake of vaccine but not related to contact tracing app download and use. Individuals with lower concern of getting and spreading COVID-19 showed the least uptake of public health measures except for avoiding public places such as bars. Lower concern regarding COVID-19 was also associated with more negative responses to taking a potential COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusion These results suggest informational frames and themes focusing on individual risks, highlighting concern for COVID-19 and targeting improving trust for health authorities may be most effective in increasing public health measures. With the ultimate goal of preventing spread of COVID-19, understanding persons’ attitudes towards both public health measures and a COVID-19 vaccine remains critical to addressing barriers and implementing targeted interventions and messaging to improve uptake.

Purpose School kiosk offerings play a crucial role in the dietary behavior of students. The importance of healthy meals in schools is emphasized again and again, but there is a lack of practical implementation and literature data on kiosk offers and acceptance. This study aimed to analyze the reasons and improve the situation. Design/methodology/approach Individual nutrition knowledge and behavior as well as purchasing behavior at a typical kiosk scenario at schools were collected. Based on the outcome, a concept for improving the school kiosk offerings according to the quality standard of the German Nutrition Society was developed. Many obstacles and challenges had to be overcome in the transition to healthier offerings and their implementation. In the course of these changes, the creation of a new feel-good cafeteria lounge was deemed necessary and finally realized. Findings A large percentage of the school kiosk offerings did not meet the desires of the school community. Opportunities to improve the school kiosk service were identified. The skillful planning of structural changes towards healthy food offers and warm meals on two weekdays made it possible to implement the official nutrition standards for healthier meals at school kiosks, despite long-term challenges for food providers. Originality/value After a critical analysis of the reasons for the lack of politically desired standards for healthier meals at school kiosks, a new implementation culture is presented and was successfully applied to overcome barriers and challenges through an incremental-dynamic concept strategy with iterative cooperation between the actors of food service providers, school administration, school management, teachers and students.

The 2019 Ethiopia's comprehensive tobacco control proclamation mandates 100% smoke-free public places and workplaces. Despite the proclamation, compliance remains uncertain, particularly at hospitality venues (HVs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent of compliance with smoke-free laws in HVs and to also understand the factors associated with non-compliance. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 10 cities in Ethiopia-Addis Ababa, Adama, Assosa, Bahir Dar, Dire Dawa, Gambella, Harar, Hawassa, Jigjiga, and Semera-Logia -between December 5th and 28th, 2022. Data were collected electronically using smartphones, utilizing a pre-tested, standardized checklist and covert observation. The subjects were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling. A total of 1,370 HVs (hotels, restaurants, bars, bars and restaurants, café and restaurants, butcher houses and restaurants, groceries, and nightclubs/ lounges) were observed. Specific and composite compliance indicators were computed for indoor and outdoor spaces. Poisson regression analyses identified factors associated with indoor active smoking and non-compliance. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Among the 1,370 HVs included in this study, 1,368 had indoor spaces, 327 had both indoor and outdoor spaces, and two had only outdoor spaces. Active smoking was observed in 32.2% (95% CI:30-35) of indoor HVs, with the highest rates in nightclubs/lounges (68.6%) and bars (65.7%). Semera-Logia reported the highest prevalence of active smoking (70.4%). Adherence with 'no smoking' signage was low (35.2%), while ashtrays, lighters, and designated smoking areas (DSAs) were rarely present. Outdoor active smoking was observed in 46.5% (95% CI:41-52) of HVs. Only 12.8% of indoor spaces were fully adherent to the smoke-free law requirements. Venues in Semera-Logia were over twice as likely to have active smoking (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]: 2.71; 95% CI: 2.00-3.66) compared to Addis Ababa. Bars and nightclubs/lounges had significantly higher prevalence of active smoking than cafés/restaurants. 'No smoking' signs were associated with reduced prevalence of indoor active smoking (aPR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.67-0.89), while smoking within a 10-meter range (aPR: 2.67; 95% CI: 2.13-3.32), the presence of lighters (aPR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.41-2.02), and the sale of tobacco products (aPR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.34-1.86) were all associated with higher prevalence of indoor active smoking. Compliance with 'no active smoking' and adherence to smoke-free laws in HVs remain low, particularly in bars, nightclubs/lounges, and Semera-Logia, with high rates of active smoking both indoors and outdoors. Enhanced enforcement and targeted are needed to educate the public and HV owners about the risks of SHS and the importance of tobacco control laws.

Historic timber lounge bridges are precious architectural heritages. But they are sensitive to fire. In order to obtain an adequate understanding of the fire vulnerability of historical timber lounge bridges for their better conservation, this paper proposes a framework based on experiment and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. Dengyun Bridge, a typical timber lounge bridge with cantilever beams, was chosen to carry out study on the fire development process and fire risk assessment. Firstly, the structural form and fire loads of the bridge were obtained by conducting on-site survey, and then a complex pyrolysis model of ancient wood was established in the Fire Dynamic Simulator (FDS) according to the pyrolysis characteristic of the ancient wood replaced from the bridge during its renovation. Secondly, the fire development process in Dengyun Bridge was simulated and four crucial fire events were defined. Finally, the comprehensive fire risk index for the Dengyun Bridge under those fire events was calculated by applying the Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and Entropy method, and some mitigation and prevention strategies were discussed accordingly. The obtained results indicated that the flashover point was a boundary of fire development. After the flashover, the comprehensive fire risk index increased and reached its peak value rapidly. In the 1084 s (peak heat release rate), the comprehensive fire risk index was about 1.7 times of that in 847 s (flashover point). Mitigation strategies, such as the flame-retardant treatment and water-mist extinguishing system, were proved to be effective to retard the developed fire. The results of this study can provide a scientific basis for fire risk assessment and conservation of inherited timber lounge bridges.