Residents’ Visual Preference Dimensions of Historic Parklands in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

ABSTRACT The colourful history evident in art-deco architectural heritage in historic neighbourhoods such as Parklands in Nairobi is barely discernible now. Swamped in drab tenements, this heritage has faced an avalanche of economic and development pressure used to justify its destruction to pave way for contemporary edifices. Discrepant intrusions have overloaded the heritage space detracting its scale, historic colour and visual quality. This paper sought to assess the range of visual preferences for the built environment in historic Parklands in an aim to identify values necessary for urban conservation. Two theories, the Informational Processes Theory and Tuan’s Topophilia theory were examined and are drawn from environmental psychology. The first considers how environmental image affects the perception of individuals in relation to urban space, whilst Topophilia was used to identify cognitive landscape concepts. 302 study respondents were exposed to a photo-based schedule containing 25 old and 25 contemporary building scenes rated on a 7-degree Likert scale designed for responses. Statements with shared variances were grouped together under factor analysis and the degree of variability within shared variances distilled 4 visual preference dimensions. Coherence as a predictor of landscape preference scored the highest mean of 5.4 followed by verdancy with a mean of 4.8, historicity with a mean of 4.7 and finally complexity with the lowest mean of 2.34. The results established that, one, contradictions between built heritage and contemporary edifices resulted in a low preference. Two, historicity is an important preference predictor ascertained by the age, rarity and diverse detailing of built heritage. Three, verdant spaces whose vegetation component is highly fragmented and ill maintained is a reducer of landscape preference. This study recommends designation to classify, protect and conserve built heritage in an established urban conservation zone. There should be aesthetic control regulated under architectural character appraisals to restrict unsympathetic character of proposed developments and protect patrimony from discrepant intrusion. Finally, complementary adaptive re-use to enhance continuity with change to preserve heritage image, history and cultural values.