How Do Nature-Based Solutions’ Color Tones Influence People’s Emotional Reaction? An Assessment via Virtual and Augmented Reality in a Participatory Process

Barbara Ester Adele Piga,Gabriele Stancato,Nicola Rainisio,Marco Boffi

doi:10.3390/su132313388

Barbara Ester Adele Piga, Gabriele Stancato + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313388

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Dec 3, 2021
Citations: 9	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Politecnico di Milano, University of Milan

Abstract

Simulations of urban transformations are an effective tool for engaging citizens and enhancing their understanding of urban design outcomes. Citizens’ involvement can positively contribute to foster resilience for mitigating the impact of climate change. Successful integration of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) into the urban fabric enables both the mitigation of climate hazards and positive reactions of citizens. This paper presents two case studies in a southern district of Milan (Italy), investigating the emotional reaction of citizens to existing urban greenery and designed NBS. During the events, the participants explored in Virtual Reality (VR) (n = 48) and Augmented Reality (AR) (n = 63) (i) the district in its current condition and (ii) the design project of a future transformation including NBS. The environmental exploration and the data collection took place through the exp-EIA© method, integrated into the mobile app City Sense. The correlations between the color features of the viewed landscape and the emotional reaction of participants showed that weighted saturation of green and lime colors reduced the unpleasantness both in VR and AR, while the lime pixel area (%) reduced the unpleasantness only in VR. No effects were observed on the Arousal and Sleepiness factors. The effects show high reliability between VR and AR for some of the variables. Implications of the method and the benefits for urban simulation and participatory processes are discussed.

Highlights

Published: 3 December 2021Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are increasingly adopted in a logic of risk management, resilience, mitigation, and adaptation to face urgent socio-economical-environmental issues such as climate change, natural disasters, food and water security, biodiversity loss, social cohesion, health [1]
Our analysis focused on color features extracted from the images, which included a high amount of lime pixels compared to green ones, both in Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
VR presented a sunny environment, whereas AR superimposed the building with NBS on the urban landscape on a cloudy winter day, which may have affected participants’ emotions

Summary

Introduction

Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are increasingly adopted in a logic of risk management, resilience, mitigation, and adaptation to face urgent socio-economical-environmental issues such as climate change, natural disasters, food and water security, biodiversity loss, social cohesion, health [1]. NBS encompasses several eco-system-based approaches, such as ecosystem-based adaptation, ecosystem-based disaster-risk reduction, ecosystem-based mitigation [2,3]. With other initiatives related to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the systematic approach linking human wellbeing and natural systems emerge as crucial for proper sustainable growth. Commission, interdisciplinary and systematic approaches and solutions are relevant and should lead to a mutual and “balanced benefit for nature and society” [4] As highlighted by Bishop [5], in the field of landscape planning and concerning environmental information, already in the past and even more today,

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