Perceptual evaluation of tall building forms and facades in urban environments

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study investigates the effect of the environment on the perception of tall buildings with the fractal analysis method. According to the hypothesis, tall buildings are appreciated to the extent that their fractal dimension value (fdv) matches the fdv of the urban environment. If the fdv of the buildings is higher than the environment, complexity and impression increase, and liking decreases. Suppose the fdv of the buildings are lower than the environment; complexity, impression, and liking decrease. In the first stage, 24 tall building models with the same height (200 meters) were designed in the Sketchup program according to the variables of forms (8) and facades (3). These models were added in two different environments. Both environments are located on Atatürk Boulevard, the main artery of Ankara city, Turkey. The fractal similarity ratios of the models were measured with ImageJ and its plug-in Fraclac. In the second stage, the reliability of the data was questioned with a questionnaire. The survey was conducted with senior students of Gazi University, Department of Architecture. The students were shown 48 images of the models and asked to evaluate these images according to liking, impression, and complexity variables. The study found that images with a high fractal similarity ratio were the most liked. When fdv was higher than the environment, complexity and impression increased, and liking decreased. On the contrary, complexity, impression, and liking decreased. As a result, it was found that there was a significant relationship between fdv and the perception and appreciation of tall buildings.