Assessmento the City Visual Environment (on the Example of Kholodnohirsky District of Kharkiv)

Abstract

Due to the rapid development of urban areas, the environment is undergoing significant changes. This also applies to the visual environment. Man deforms the appearance of the natural environment, adjusts to himself, constantly bringing new and new architectural structures and elements. However, solving the problems of urban infrastructure has exacerbated the problems of visual comfort. Therefore, there is a need for a clear assessment of the visual environment. Purpose. To determine the qualitative characteristics of the video-ecological situation of the Kholodnogirsk administrative district of the city of Kharkiv. Methods. Field research and assessment of the visual environment of the city district; method of objective assessment by photofixation; quantitative method of assessing the aggressiveness of the visual urban environment; method of calculating the index of severity of the lesion and the degree of lesion of White Mistletoe. Results. The various visual fields of the urban environment, homogeneous and aggressive, were investigated and determined. The smallest indicator of the homogeneity of the visual environment in the Kholodnogirsk district of Kharkiv is observed around the territory of the Yunost Park – 3%, the largest – around the park on the Volonteer Street - 55%. It is determined that the index of aggressiveness of the visual environment varies from 0.66 to the maximum possible 1. The degree of landscaping of the Kholodnogirsk district of the city of Kharkiv is established. The maximum rate of landscaping - 37%, determined in the park on the Volonteer Street and the minimum - 6% on the Pryvokzalʹna ploshcha. The results of calculations of the index of severity of damage and the degree of damage to trees of recreational areas of the area by mistletoe (Viscum album L.) showed - severity index – 10.5% and degree of damage – 27.3%, observed in Tivoli Garden, the smallest – in Yunost Park – 3.4% (index of seriousness) and the square of O. I. Meshchaninov Square – 8% ( degree of damage to tree species). Conclusions. In recent years, there has been a significant deterioration in the visual environment in cities where most of the population lives. It was revealed that for the territory of the Kholodnogirsk district of the city of Kharkiv, the highest homogeneity indicators are inherent in locations with old buildings, and aggressiveness is in a new building. This demonstrates the need for a well-equipped recreation areas that can "mask" of visual ground discomfort urbogeosystem. An important component of the comfortable visual environment of the city - landscaping, for the Kholodnogirsk district of Kharkiv, in accordance with the standards, is not sufficient. One of the most important factors in reducing the number of green areas is the invasion of tree species by mistletoe (Viscum album L.) It is necessary to focus the attention of local authorities on videoecological problems requiring a comprehensive solution.