The Valuation of Aesthetic Preferences and Consequences for Urban Transport Infrastructures

Christos Evangelinos,Stefan Tscharaktschiew

doi:10.3390/su13094977

Christos Evangelinos, Stefan Tscharaktschiew

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094977

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Abstract

The importance of transport infrastructure for individual well-being and regional economic development and growth, but also its adverse side-effects, make a comprehensive assessment of the general appropriateness of new construction and rebuild indispensable. Assessments, however, often lack certain issues. For instance, aesthetic aspects are usually not part of the (economic) evaluation of large infrastructure projects, albeit individuals may be (positively or negatively) affected by the aesthetic ‘value’ of infrastructures. This paper proposes the aesthetic index developed by Birkhoff as a method to quantify the aesthetic impact of buildings/facilities in urban areas. To test the basic applicability of the index for transport infrastructure facilities, we apply it at first to airport terminals in Germany. We also test the suitability of the index to derive the willingness to pay for aesthetic exterior design—since market prices are easy to obtain with respect to hotel room rates—using hotel architecture as the first example. Regression results of a hedonic price model indicate a significant relationship, suggesting the basic suitability of the index to uncover consumers’ willingness to pay for an aesthetic outward appearance. We suggest further research to test the suitability of Birkhoff’s index for general urban transport infrastructures in order to derive utility-based welfare measures toward aesthetic issues. For highly controversial urban (overground) infrastructures, we propose the inclusion of an aesthetic component in cost–benefit analysis.

Highlights

As mobility needs in society increase, so too does the need for new and modern transport infrastructure utilities
Birkhoff assumes that symmetry as an element of order is very important for the aesthetic value of an object and that, in particular, vertical symmetry is perceived as especially comfortable by the beholder
Motivated by a potentially increasing public acceptability of new transport infrastructure utilities via better aesthetic appearance, this paper presented and discussed a simple index—the Birkhoff index—for aesthetical measurement

Summary

Introduction

As mobility needs in society increase, so too does the need for new and modern transport infrastructure utilities. Project assessment takes place by means of cost–benefit analysis, in which all relevant costs and benefits of a project are evaluated and aggregated to a single (monetary) unit Such assessments, often lack certain issues [1]. Aesthetic issues—an essential factor for the status—were not part of an initial project appraisal They should be part of a comprehensive evaluation process, because side-effects of aesthetic issues, such as the loss of the cultural heritage status, may be closely related to economic losses through a reduction in tourism [3,4]. We suggest further research to test the suitability of Birkhoff’s index for further urban transport infrastructures in order to derive utility-based welfare measures for aesthetic issues. For highly controversial urban infrastructures, we propose the inclusion of an esthetic component in cost–benefit analysis

Theoretical Insights—Measuring the Aesthetic Value

The Birkhoff Index

Realization of order

Empirical Implementation

Birkhoff values

The rotational symmetry

Discussion and Conclusions

Findings

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