Liminality Through Sensory Perception in Pedestrian Environments

Tavara-Lopez A.D.; Mayte Sofia V.-C.; María Delia C.-P. · Proceedings of the LACCEI international Multi-conference for Engineering, Education and Technology (2026) · DOI: 10.18687/laccei2026.1.1.603

Resumen

This study addresses the urban liminality of Sector 7 in Chimbote, a city located in northern Peru, which corresponds to an industrial area within the city, where unplanned expansion has generated liminal spaces that alter pedestrians' sensory perception, causing disorientation and insecurity. The general objective was to analyze the liminality of pedestrian environments through the sensory perception of the urban landscape, seeking to identify the levels of liminality, their relationship with spatial configuration, and their influence on pedestrian comfort. The methodology was basic, qualitative, descriptive, non-experimental, and cross-sectional. Direct observation, semi-structured interviews, and surveys were applied, using forms, guides, and questionnaires with a five-point Likert scale. Validity was determined through expert judgment and Aiken's V (1.0), and reliability through Cronbach's Alpha (0.907). The sample consisted of 90 intentionally selected pedestrians. The results showed a medium level of liminality, due to spatial discontinuity, lack of hierarchy, and environmental degradation in Sector 7, which generate negative perceptions of the environment, where 47% of respondents perceive excessive noise and visual disconnection, while 48% report thermal discomfort. It is concluded that these conditions reinforce urban liminality, evidencing a fragmented, poorly appropriated, and sensorially incoherent pedestrian environment.

Instituciones: Universidad Tecnológica del Perú