Nocturnal Vs. Diurnal: Relationship between Land Use and Visit Time Patterns in Commercial Areas

Some commercial districts attract the majority of their visitors during the daytime, while others at night. This difference in peak time of population flow may be affected by land use, such as mixed use. This paper aims to analyze the impact of mixed land use on population flow in the diurnal and nocturnal districts. The standardized values of the population in each census tally district form distinct patterns for every hour of the day. Using k-means clustering and hourly location-based population data collected from smartphone signals in Seoul, we classify commercial districts into two groups: diurnal and nocturnal. We introduce a binomial logistic model where a binary indicator is used as the dependent variable for the two groups. A comparison of land use patterns between the two groups shows the following significant differences: First, the nocturnal districts tend to have distinctive features consisting of vibrant streets due to a higher degree of mixed use. Second, mixed land use and a high percentage of residential use in commercial areas have a positive impact on visitor concentration at night. Furthermore, the land use of the adjacent areas significantly influences the visiting patterns of commercial districts. These results imply that a proper degree of mixed use attracts more people to commercial areas, even at night, thereby enhancing the vitality of the streets.