Search Results (16)

Urban parks are an important component of public urban spaces, which directly impact the living experiences of residents and the urban image. High-quality urban parks are crucial for enhancing the well-being of residents. This study selected Fukuoka, Japan, as the study site. Five urban parks were chosen to evaluate landscape visual quality by using the Scenic Beauty Estimation (SBE) method. The Semantic Differential (SD) method was used to get sample subjective landscape features. Meanwhile, sample objective landscape features were obtained by using semantic segmentation techniques in deep learning and combined with spatial analysis to understand their distribution. A regression model was established, which used the SBE values as the dependent variable and subjective landscape features as the independent variables to analyze the relationship between urban park landscape visual quality and subjective landscape features. The regression analysis revealed that sense of layering, harmony, interestingness, sense of order, and vitality were the core factors influencing visual quality. All five features had a significant positive impact on landscape visual quality. The sense of order was the most influential factor, which would be the key to enhancing the landscape perception experience. Moreover, the XGBoost model and SHAP value from machine learning were used to reveal the nonlinear relationships and significant threshold effects between urban park visual quality and five objective landscape features: openness, greenness, enclosure, vegetation diversity, and Shannon–Wiener diversity index. This study showed that when openness exceeded 0.27, the positive effect was significant. The optimal threshold for the greenness was 0.38. Vegetation diversity and enclosure had to be below 0.82 and 0.58, respectively, to have a positive impact. Meanwhile, the positive influence of the Shannon–Wiener diversity index reached its maximum at a value of 1.37. This study not only establishes a systematic method for diagnosing landscape problems and evaluating landscape visual quality but also provides both theoretical support and practical guidance for urban park landscape optimization. Full article

Flowering street trees are important carriers of urban landscapes and ecological functions, as well as a significant boost to the construction of “Shanghai Flower City”. Most existing studies focus on the ornamental value or single ecological benefits, and there are insufficient systematic evaluations of the landscape–ecology synergistic effect, especially as there are few quantitative studies on the landscape value during the flowering period and long-term ecological benefits. Scientific assessment of multiple benefits is of great significance for optimizing tree species allocation and enhancing the sustainability of road landscapes. Taking flowering street trees in Shanghai’s central urban area as a case study, this paper verifies the feasibility of using digital technology to evaluate their landscape and ecological benefits and explores ways to enhance these aspects. Landscape, ecological, and comprehensive benefits were quantitatively assessed using digital images, the i-Tree model, and the entropy-weighted method. Influencing factors for each aspect were also analyzed. The results showed the following: (1) Eleven species or cultivars of flowering street trees from six families and ten genera were identified, with the majority flowering in spring, fewer in summer and autumn, and none in winter. (2) The landscape benefits model was: Scenic Beauty Estimation (SBE) = −0.99 + 0.133 × Flowering branches+ 0.183 × Degree of flower display + 0.064 × Plant growth + 0.032 × Artistic conception + 0.091 × Visual harmony with surrounding elements. Melia azedarach L., Prunus × yedoensis ‘Somei-yoshino’, and Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Steud. ranked highest in landscape benefits. (3) Catalpa bungei C. A. Mey., Koelreuteria bipinnata Franch., and Koelreuteria bipinnata ‘integrifoliola’ (Merr.) T.Chen had the highest plant height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and crown width among the studied trees, and ranked top in ecological benefits. (4) Koelreuteria bipinnata, Catalpa bungei, and Melia azedarach showed the best overall performance. The comprehensive benefits model was: Comprehensive Benefits = 0.6889 × Ecological benefits + 0.3111 × Landscape benefits. This study constructs a digital evaluation framework for flowering street trees, quantifies their landscape and ecological benefits, and provides optimization strategies for the selection and application of flowering trees in urban streets. Full article

The landscape visual sensitivity (LVS) assessment is recognized as a critical tool for identifying areas most sensitive to landscape changes and for informing multi-resource optimization and allocation strategies. However, conventional large-scale LVS assessment criteria and methodologies developed for natural landscapes do not satisfy the precision-oriented assessment requirements of streetscape visual sensitivity (SVS) in historic districts, nor do they facilitate the operational linkage between assessment outcomes and planning applications. This study proposes an innovative SVS–PAP assessment methodology, which is a systematic integration of the SVS assessment and public esthetic perception (PAP) evaluation. The SVS assessment criteria framework was first improved through the integration of enriched multi-modal datasets. Subjective weights were obtained via the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), incorporating expert and public judgments, while objective weights were derived through the entropy weight method (EWM) based on data information entropy. The integration of both approaches enhances the methodological rigor and scientific validity of SVS weight determination. An SVS–PAP analytical matrix was subsequently constructed through integration of SVS assessments and PAP-based scenic beauty estimation (SBE), enabling the derivation of planning strategies. An empirical validation conducted in Anshandao Historic District yielded four key findings: (1) The SVS–PAP methodology, which integrates subjective–objective evaluation factors and incorporates broad public participation, demonstrates strong scientific validity and reliability, establishing a novel paradigm for SVS assessment and strategic planning; (2) The technical framework—leveraging multi-modal data and GIS spatial analysis techniques—improves assessment precision, operability, and replicability; (3) The planning and management strategies formulated by the SVS–PAP analytical matrix were verified as reasonable, demonstrating effective planning-transition capability; (4) Notably, historical and cultural influences showed significantly higher weighting coefficients across assessment criteria compared to non-historic streetscape assessments. Overall, these research results address the persistent undervaluation of the esthetic and spiritual values of historic landscapes in multi-resource value trade-off and decision-making processes, demonstrating both theoretical and practical significance through a systematic methodological advancement. Full article

Three-dimensional architectural greening (TAG) enables the integration of ecological, economic, and social advantages via the effective use of multidimensional space in a variety of forms, making it a significant method for enhancing spatial quality in densely populated cities. TAG technology has expanded the scope and capabilities of urban greening. It has the ability to provide green space, improve urban ecology and aesthetics, and alleviate the conflict between limited land resources and rising demand for greening throughout the urbanization process. Currently, there is a lack of a systematic assessment approach that focuses on the public’s visual perception of TAG. It is critical to focus on advances in visual perception approaches and create a “people-oriented perception driven” evaluation system that serves as a scientific foundation for urban three-dimensional greening initiatives. First, this study created a database of 300 TAG cases and selected classic cases using screening, classification, and sampling. Second, three experiments were set up for the study, including the use of the semantic differential (SD) method, and scenic beauty estimation (SBE) for subjective evaluation, and the eye-tracking experiment for objective evaluation. Finally, this study compared subjective and objective evaluations and demonstrated that both two approaches had a certain amount of accuracy. It also investigated the relationship between spatial features and public visual perceptions using methods such as factor and correlation analysis. The three effective methods for evaluating the quality of TAG based on visual perception that are presented in this study—two subjective and one objective—use standardized images, are quick and simple to use, and make up for the drawbacks of conventional strategies like indirectness, inefficiency, and time-consuming data collection. They also form a solid foundation for the real-world application of categorization prediction. In addition to being adaptable to a wide range of application settings, these two assessment paths—subjective evaluation and objective evaluation—can be integrated to complement one another and provide scientific references for future TAG designs and spatial decision making. Full article

Check dams play a pivotal role in soil and water conservation engineering as they mitigate debris flow and decelerate the slope of the river channel by intercepting sediments, thereby preventing disasters. However, as ecological conservation and landscape integration have become significant, functions, safety, harmony, and aesthetics with the surroundings must be considered in the design of check dams. In this study, a questionnaire survey was conducted based on scenic beauty estimation (SBE) and image segmentation using artificial intelligence to evaluate the landscape quality of soil and water conservation projects. Data were collected from the photos which were segmented into vegetation, structure, sky, land, and water. The proportion of each segment was calculated to explore the relationship with the scenic beauty of the landscapes. Regions with prevalent vegetation and water received favorable evaluations, whereas areas with a higher proportion of land were less preferred. Even when vegetation was present in high quantities, an unorganized arrangement was less desirable. Identified key factors influencing the scenic beauty of the landscape can be considered in the design of soil and water conservation engineering projects. Full article

Traditional villages, as repositories of cultural heritage and natural landscapes, have gained increasing prominence in the tourism industry. However, balancing authenticity preservation with visitor satisfaction remains a critical challenge. This study employs a combined Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)–Scenic Beauty Estimation (SBE) approach under the theoretical framework of 4E theory (Entertainment, Education, Aesthetics, and Escapism) to comprehensively evaluate visitor satisfaction in traditional village tourism landscapes. Eight nationally designated tourism-oriented traditional villages in Anhua County, China were selected as case studies. Findings from the AHP analysis reveal that aesthetic and escapism experiences are the most influential dimensions in shaping visitor satisfaction, while entertainment and educational experiences, though secondary, remain integral to a well-rounded tourism framework. The SBE evaluation corroborates these results, highlighting that seasonal characteristics, stress relief, and cultural landscape diversity significantly enhance visitor experiences. Conversely, deficiencies were observed in social interactivity, satisfaction with educational experiences, and fulfillment of aesthetic needs, indicating areas for improvement. A strong positive correlation between AHP and SBE scores (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.867, p < 0.01) underscores the alignment between expert-driven evaluations and visitor perceptions. These insights suggest that integrating expert-based hierarchical analysis with empirical visitor assessments provides a more robust and multidimensional framework for sustainable tourism management. Recommendations include enhancing social interactivity, optimizing educational components, enriching aesthetic experiences, and ensuring the preservation of vernacular landscapes to foster sustainable, experience-driven rural tourism development. Full article

Pocket parks are small green spaces that significantly enhance urban livability, particularly in densely populated cities. To leverage this advantage, Chongqing has committed to establishing 100 pocket parks by 2024. This study assesses the landscape quality of six pocket parks in Chongqing’s Dadukou District, employing Scenic Beauty Estimation (SBE) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The results of the SBE method identify four main factors—spatial hierarchy, plant diversity, landscape harmony, and color richness—that show a strong correlation with scenic beauty (R = 0.947, R² = 0.897). AHP analysis reveals that landscape function is the dominant criterion, accounting for 66.86% of the total weight, with ecological function and service function contributing 21.44% and 8.82%, respectively. Notably, plant color richness emerges as the most significant factor, with a comprehensive weight of 0.1509, emphasizing its critical role in enhancing visual appeal. Based on these findings, this study recommends increasing plant diversity, optimizing color design to improve visual appeal, and implementing sustainable, low-maintenance strategies. This research integrates both quantitative and qualitative approaches, offering strategies to refine pocket park designs and establish a framework to enhance green spaces in densely populated urban areas, not only in China but potentially globally, promoting environmental sustainability and user satisfaction. Full article

This investigation delves into the waterfront plant landscapes of traditional villages in Western Hunan, China, aiming to bolster sustainable ecological resource management, amplify ecological culture, and ameliorate environmental standards. Furthermore, it endeavors to furnish a theoretical scaffold for the meticulous construction and assessment of these landscapes. This study has illustrated the waterfront botanical landscapes of 32 traditional hamlets within the Xiangxi region, integrating prior research on the waterfront botanical regression model based on the Scenic Beauty Estimation (SBE) method. It established and investigated fifteen landscape factors pivotal to the aesthetic valorization of these village waterfronts. The study concocted a beauty quality evaluation model, unearthing a significant correlation (p < 0.01) across evaluations by students majoring in landscape architecture, expert landscape architects, and laypersons, thus underscoring a consensus in aesthetic judgments. A noteworthy correlation between the beauty value (Z-value) and the entropy weight value was elucidated through the equation EWM = −0.106 + 0.425ZSBE, showcasing the landscape quality’s variance among the studied villages. The formulated evaluation model accentuates the significance of seasonal variation, scale affinity, and a rich hierarchical structure. Full article

Contemporary landscape architecture studies have paid close attention to the interactions between public aesthetic preferences and the landscape environment. Scenic beauty has become an important evaluation indicator of landscape quality. The quality of the plant color landscape is an important factor affecting scenic beauty. Exploring the relationship between the composition rules and internal properties of autumn plant color landscapes in urban parks and public aesthetic preferences can provide new ideas for the evaluation and design of plant community color landscapes. Taking 12 parks in Changsha City, Hunan Province, China, as the study area and 85 plant communities as the sample plots, scenic beauty estimation (SBE) was used to evaluate the autumn plant color landscape of urban parks. ColorImpact software was used to extract the color values of each plant community. Fifteen original color element indicators were determined, and the data were statistically analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA), one-way ANOVA, multiple comparison analysis and systematic cluster analysis. Four principal components were extracted to construct the characteristic indices and a comprehensive model of the color landscape quality of autumn plant communities. The four characteristic indices showed significant or extremely significant differences among the five SBE grades. From the overall trend, the SBE grades showed a positive correlation with PC1 (primary and adjunctive color index), PC2 (color structure and property index) and PC3 (autumn-color-leafed index) and a negative correlation with PC4 (intersperse color index). R_PH (ratio of primary hue), R_P (ratio of primary color), R_C (color-leafed index), R_WC (ratio of warm and cool colors), and N_C (number of colors) were the key factors affecting the SBE grade. Overall, R_PH, R_P, R_C, and R_WC positively influenced the SBE values, while N_C negatively influenced the SBE values, and five to seven colors were more moderate. The quality of the color landscape can be improved by creating plant communities with three types of color composition: warm-toned dominant type, warm- and cold-toned contrast type, and multicolor harmonic type. The results provide a reference for the evaluation, design and construction of autumn plant color landscapes in urban parks. Full article

The aesthetic design of mountain stream facilities has not received much attention in Taiwan. In recent years, in addition to safety concerns, the focus has increasingly been on landscape assessment or the sense of integration with the environment. This research is the first attempt to use visual language translation in qualitative research analysis for the landscape assessment of mountain stream facilities. This method is different from a traditional qualitative narrative analysis. It also addresses the shortcomings of previous quantitative analysis methods, in which the topic discussions are too limited. First, mountain stream engineering projects are selected as the research objects. This study uses questionnaire analysis and on-site surveys to summarize the elements, representations, and perceptions of the mountain stream facilities of the subjects concerned to examine their preferences for the visual system. Furthermore, we also employ the scenic beauty estimation (SBE) method for a comparison between the qualitative and quantitative analyses. This study proposes a new method using visual language translation and SBE that combines the features of qualitative research and quantitative analysis. However, the potential limitations include an inability to have a large sample number and the biases caused by the cultural, regional, or personal characteristics of the subjects. Full article

Traditional villages are historically, culturally, scientifically and aesthetically valuable, and a beautiful landscape is the primary embodiment of a traditional village environment. Urbanization and modernization have had a great impact on village landscapes. As an important aspect of traditional village landscapes, creating beautiful public spaces is an effective way to attract tourists and improve the well-being of residents. Landscape aesthetic activities are the result of the interaction between landscape objects and aesthetic subjects. Research on the relationship between the form of traditional village public spaces and subjective aesthetic preferences has long been neglected. This research examined 31 public spaces in traditional villages in the Dongshan and Xishan areas in Lake Taihu, Suzhou. An index system of public spatial forms in traditional villages was created, basic data of spatial forms were collected using a hand-held 3D laser scanner, and the value of the spatial forms index was calculated using R language. The scenic beauty estimation (SBE) method was improved, with the estimation of the beauty of the scenic environment based on VR panorama rather than traditional photo media. Parameter screening was performed using correlation analysis and full subset regression analysis, and four models were used to fit the SBE scores and grades. The results show that the majority of public spaces had lower than average SBE scores, and the four key indicators of average contour upper height, solid-space ratio, vegetation cover, and comprehensive closure predicted SBE. In addition, the linear model (R² = 0.332, RMSE = 64.774) had the most accurate SBE level prediction and the stochastic forest model (R² = 0.405, RMSE = 63.311) was better at predicting specific SBE scores. The model provides managers, designers, and researchers with a method for the quantitative evaluation of visual landscape preferences and quantitative landscape spatial forms and provides a reference for the protection and renewal of traditional village landscapes. Full article

Reducing the burden of pain via greenspace exposure is a rising research topic. However, insufficient evidence has been found in relation to the environmental effect itself. Residential greenspace, as a convenient but limited natural environment for urban dwellers, has benefits and services yet to be discovered. Therefore, the current study recruited 24 young adults to evaluate the effects of physical visit to, or image viewing of, residential greenspace on pain perception and related psychophysiological outcomes, via simulated pain. Pain threshold and tolerance were recorded via the level of pain stimuli, and pain intensity was evaluated using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The state scale of the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) and two adjective pairs were employed to measure the state anxiety and subjective stress, respectively. Meanwhile, heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and blood pressure (BP) were measured to investigate physiological responses. Besides, Scenic Beauty Estimation (SBE) was also employed to assess participants’ preference regarding the experimental environments. The results revealed that visiting the greenspace significantly increased the pain threshold and tolerance, while no significant effect was observed for image viewing. On the other hand, no significant difference was observed in pain-related psychophysiological indices between the experimental settings, but significantly negative associations were found between the scores of SBE and subjective stress and state anxiety. In conclusion, the current study brings experimental evidence of improving pain experience via residential greenspace exposure, while the related psychophysiological benefits require further investigation. Full article

Taiwan has rich natural landscapes, but the sensitive geology and concentrated rainfall have resulted in frequent sediment hazards. Thus, various stream control works are established in watersheds to secure midstream and downstream citizens’ lives and properties. Taking care of slope safety and natural landscapes has become a primary issue for soil and water conservation engineering. The scenic preference beauty estimation method (SBE) in psychophysics, which was proposed by Daniel and Boster in 1976, is utilized herein to evaluate the scenic aesthetics of stream control engineering in watersheds. It aims to discuss various landscape factors (water body, vegetation) in the aesthetic preference and differences of various artificial structures in a watershed under people’s psychology. First, pictures and images related to soil and water conservation engineering are collected, and an in-situ investigation is performed to determine the pictures and images for discussion and design of the relevant questionnaire. The scenic aesthetics evaluation results are standardized with RMRATE, a computer program for analyzing rating judgments, of the United States Department of Agriculture, and then transformed into SBE values to compare the difference of various engineering structures in scenic aesthetics. The results reveal that flowing waterscape elements and the coverage of vegetation on the surrounding artificial structure volume in images present positive effects on the public overall scenic aesthetics. This study is expected to provide engineering designers with reference for considering a design integrating engineering structure with natural landscapes. Full article

Forests are important place for outdoor recreation and scenery appreciation. So in order to better meet the needs of the public, forest appreciation has received increasing attention from foresters in recent years. However, related research is still limited. Therefore, this paper seeks to examine the relationship between forest colors (measured by specific elements and spatial indices of color) and Scenic Beauty Estimation values. We researched Jiuzhai Valley in China by selecting 104 pictures to determine the scenic beauty estimation values of forests in a mountainous region. Quantitative color elements were extracted by programming on Matlab, and spatial indices of color patches were extracted by ArcGIS and FRAGSTATS. A total of 23 indices were obtained to explain the color characteristics of each forest picture. The results showed that the yellow and red colors were the main mutable colors of Jiuzhai Valley in autumn, but the color patches index had no significant change over time in that season. After partial correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis, we found that 14 color elements, eight color patch factors and six particular indices had an effect on the SBE values, which can then be used to efficiently measure and enhance the forest color beauty of Jiuzhai Valley. Full article

With Taiwan’s steep terrain and fracture geology, natural disasters are likely to occur after heavy rainfall. To reduce the effects of upstream sediment on human surroundings, check dams are an essential transverse structure for streams in watersheds. However, there is likely to be a detrimental visual impact on the landscape without consideration of the integration of dams with the environment. Based on previous studies of landscape assessment, this paper considers the factors of texture, color, and form, often used as part of expert paradigms, as the major aesthetic aspects of check dams. These factors are used to construct an expert questionnaire using the Delphi Method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The preliminary criteria and weights for Scenic Beauty Assessment of check dams are determined based on the results of AHP. A Fuzzy Logical System is further applied to solve the linguistic fuzziness of landscape assessment so as to establish a complete expert scenic beauty assessment model. Five cases are further tested for comparison with 224 public samples with Scenic Beauty Estimation (SBE). Results demonstrate that the model presents the validity of expert paradigm and the reliability of the psychophysical paradigm. These results can provide a reference for engineering designers seeking to integrate check dams with the natural landscape. The results indicate that the present method can efficiently assess the scenic beauty of check dams as established by a scientific method. Full article