Quality Of Urban Landscape Research Articles

Urban Planning and Landscape Projects on Urban Riverbanks in Europe: Comparative Study of the Ebro River, Zaragoza, and the Isar River, Munich

The tension between rivers and cities reaches its highest expression in urban river basins. Given the high level of interaction between natural and cultural factors in many riverfronts, an integral project design is essential. The large number of urban river basin enhancement cases that have been conducted has resulted in a large amount of urban scientific literature. The multifaceted nature of these systems renders their analysis and contextualization a challenging endeavor. The objective of this research is to propose a novel evaluation tool based on a reformulation of Lynch’s theory of urban form performance, which has been updated from a landscape urbanism perspective. The conceptual framework provides a comprehensive method for translating diverse design strategies into comparable and meaningful categories. The results illustrate the impact of urban riverbank requalification initiatives on the formal quality dimensions of the city–river socio-ecological system. The assessment tool was applied to two cases: the Ebro River in Zaragoza (Spain) and the Isar River in Munich (Germany). Despite differences between the cases, comparative analysis revealed similar levels of urban landscape quality parameters and common elements that can provide new insights when considering the solutions applied and the degree of improvement in quality and river–city cohesion achieved with these projects.

Using crowdsourcing images to assess visual quality of urban landscapes: A case study of Xiamen Island

Urban landscapes significantly affect human life and well-being. Visual factors are the most critical factors affecting environmental satisfaction and urban landscape quality. Previous studies have been focused on the single influence of landscape indicators on visual quality and ignored the relationship between indicators and landscape characteristics that may collectively contribute to visual quality. This study captures the public perception of urban landscape through social media image data and develops a new indicator model system based on structural equation modeling to assess the visual quality of urban landscape on Xiamen Island. Four visual characteristics (i.e., disturbance, complexity, naturalness, and artificial environment) are proposed to describe the composition of the urban landscape. The results show that: (1) Naturalness is the most important characteristic affecting the visual quality of the urban landscape, with a standardized factor loading of 0.82. (2) Artificial environment and complexity indirectly influence the visual quality of the urban landscape through naturalness and together form a coherent urban landscape. (3) Although disturbance has a direct effect on the visual quality of the urban landscape, most of the explained paths still affect the visual quality indirectly through naturalness. The results from this study highlight the importance of focusing on the relationship between the landscape indicators and characteristics and enhancing the understanding of urban landscape quality, with results that can potentially be used as a method for assessing future urban landscape changes and the effects of urban landscape policy decisions.

Evaluating the urban environment to improve quality of life in Srinagar, India: the use of the Urban Landscape Quality Index

ABSTRACT Rapid urbanisation puts significant pressure on the quality of life for urban residents, creating major challenges for urban planners. Access to accurate and timely data to inform municipal planning decisions adds to these challenges. This article investigates the potential of an Urban Landscape Quality Index (ULQI) model, which is based on visual assessments of the urban environment. The article compares the results of the ULQI with those from a more resource-intensive data collection process using landscape quality perception surveys with city inhabitants. The results from the study in Srinagar city, India, suggest that there is a high level of similarity between the results from the ULQI approach and residents’ surveys. This indicates that visual assessment of landscape to calculate ULQI is an efficient approach and can be used by urban planners to prioritise those areas that need immediate attention.

Features of urban green spaces associated with positive emotions, mindfulness and relaxation

There is an established consensus among researchers that contact with nature improves mental health, wellbeing, and quality of life in urbanised environments. Studies tend to examine the health impacts of nature without identifying specific physical and spatial landscape features that could guide health-promoting design of urban green spaces. A growing body of evidence suggests that landscape features described in the Contemplative Landscape Model (CLM) can be used to measure therapeutic value of urban landscapes. CLM assesses urban landscapes across seven sub-scales: Layers of the Landscape, Landform, Vegetation, Color and Light, Compatibility, Archetypal Elements and Character of Peace and Silence. We exposed 74 healthy adults to six urban landscapes in laboratory (video representations) and naturalistic outdoor settings. We explored the associations between the visual quality of urban landscapes annotated with CLM, with self-reported positive emotions and brain activity consistent with mindfulness (Theta waves), relaxation (Alpha waves) and attention restoration (Beta waves), and differences between laboratory and naturalistic setting. CLM scores predicted self-reported Valence and Arousal, and low frequency power bands: Alpha and Theta in the naturalistic setting. Landscape features showing the strongest associations were Character of Peace and Silence, Layers of the Landscape and Archetypal Elements. Alpha, Theta brain reactivity and Arousal scores, were significantly different between laboratory and naturalistic settings (p < 0.05), while Valence scores between those settings were statistically identical (p = 0.22). Self-reported Valence and Arousal, but not brain activity, were significantly associated with the majority of landscape features in the laboratory setting. The results of the study provide guidelines on the urban landscape features most beneficial for human health, to inform urban green space design.

Conflicting perspectives on urban landscape quality in six urban regions in Europe and their implications for urban transitions

The European Landscape Convention urges countries to involve stakeholders including citizens in the governance of ordinary (urban) landscapes. This paper studies conflicting stakeholder perspectives on urban landscape quality in the context of urban sustainability transitions in six European urban regions in the Netherlands, Italy, France, Croatia, Belarus and the Russian Federation. Repertory grid technique helped to identify the dimensions through which persons evaluate urban landscape quality. Ninety-three (93) interviewees elicited 1400 bipolar constructs, such as “Edible green – Concrete” or “Community, group – Loneliness”. They then selected two constructs they consider most relevant in the context of urban sustainability transitions, and ranked all pictures on a 10-points scale. The rankings were analyzed using Multiple Correspondence Analysis. We find that, in spite of the many social and cultural differences between the regions, stakeholders largely agree on the preferred direction of urban transitions; more green and blue spots where people can meet and undertake joint (leisure) activities. The main conflict is between, on the one hand, a preference for organized development and beautification and, on the other hand, naturalness (permeability of soil) and organic development. The paper considers several challenges for transition governance.

Effects of River Scale on the Aesthetic Quality of Urban On-Water Sightseeing

On-water sightseeing plays a key role in the tourism of traditional Chinese landscapes. The on-water landscape affects tourism potential and the quality of urban landscapes. Current research on river landscape is mainly based on remote sensing images or on-land approaches, while studies of on-water perspective landscapes at different river scales is lacking. In this paper, with Guilin city rivers taken as an example, we adopt image semantic segmentation technology to evaluate the visual landscape characteristics under different river scales, and subsequently employ automatic linear modeling to screen important factors affecting aesthetic quality. The results reveal the obvious differences between the on-water landscape characteristics of different scale rivers. The on-water landscape quality of large- and small-scale rivers is mainly affected by seven and four factors, respectively. The Karst landform of Guilin is observed to significantly improve the on-water landscape quality of large-scale rivers. By considering the impact mechanism of landscape composition on the aesthetic quality and the different scale rivers, we propose several aesthetic quality improvement strategies based on low-cost methods, including the planting of vegetation and the micro renewal of artificial constructions. This study contributes to the intelligent evaluation of urban on-water landscape and provides reference for on-water route selection and urban planning.

Settlements and Urban Morphological Quality in Landscape Planning–Analytical Models and Regulating Tools in the Landscape Plan of Regione Toscana

Settlement and urban landscape quality is a vast field of research, ranging from studies on “the shape of the city” to studies on functions and services performed by the urban landscape. In Italy, a decisive steering role is entrusted to regional landscape planning, as introduced through the current Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape. Regional landscape plans define the rules to which all municipal plans must conform. This paper aims to assess the effectiveness with which the general principles and rules regarding settlement and urban landscape quality defined on a regional level through landscape plans are transposed and implemented on a local level through municipal plans. We chose the case study of Regione Toscana, which has a Regional Landscape Plan approved in 2015 (PIT/PPR) that identifies “settlement morphotypes” and “contemporary urbanisation morphotypes” and presents “Guidelines for landscape redevelopment of urbanised fabric in the contemporary city”. We examined how the eight municipal plans approved so far are addressed in the PIT/PPR contents. We also conducted a more in-depth study on topics of interest through structured interviews with four designers who were responsible for most of the plans analysed. We also conducted a more in-depth study on topics of interest through structured interviews with several plan designers. The results from the discussion showed some weakness in the PIT/PPR’s ability to guide local planning tools to improve urban quality. Additionally, the PIT/PPR’s effectiveness appears more evident in the rhetoric of arguments used by local plans than in the results of the transformations that they prefigure.

Assessment of Aesthetic Quality of Urban Landscapes by Integrating Objective and Subjective Factors: A Case Study for Riparian Landscapes

To improve human well-being, there is increasing awareness of elevating aesthetic benefits by landscape design, planning, and management. However, which landscape features and attributes may be associated with aesthetic value of an urban landscape, human aesthetic preference, and landscape practices is still not clear yet. We proposed a comprehensive aesthetic assessment approach to realise the determination of landscape aesthetic indicators, integration of objective indicators and subjective preferences, and validation of estimations. The approach was based on a four-level landscape aesthetic indicator system from the bottom features up to attributes (landscape naturalness, landscape complexity, plant species diversity, water surface, water clarity, and bank naturalness), component qualities, and finally overall quality. Fourteen metrics that could provide objective visual and spatial characters and ecological implications were identified and quantified to indicate landscape aesthetic features. Landscape aesthetic attributes, vegetation and waterbody component qualities, and overall quality were estimated by integrating objective indicators and human subjective preferences. The approach was applied to a case study of four subareas along an artificially restored riparian buffer in Beijing, China. The results showed that the modelled overall aesthetic quality was determined by both vegetation (accounting for 53%) and waterbody. The higher vegetation quality depended on the higher plant abundance, more vegetation patches, and more vegetation patch types; the higher waterbody quality depended on the clearer water and larger water surface. Compared with other features, vertical vegetation configuration, diversity of patch type and patch shape, and shrub species diversity had greater contribution to the attributes of naturalness, complexity, and plant species diversity, respectively. The modelled vegetation aesthetic attributes were directly validated using the surveyed perceptions, and the modelled vegetation and waterbody aesthetic qualities were indirectly validated by correlating with the main recreational activities. The approach is confirmed to be able to address the questions on determination, integration, and validation of landscape aesthetic indicators in some way. Thus, the approach is expected to be used for other landscapes to offer a framework for landscape practices to improve aesthetic value and cultural service.

Conflicting Perspectives on Urban Landscape Quality in Six Urban Regions in Europe and Their Implications for Urban Transitions

Conflicting Perspectives on Urban Landscape Quality in Six Urban Regions in Europe and Their Implications for Urban Transitions

Memorial Urban Art as an Aesthetic Experience in the City ‒ An Aesthetical Reading of War Murals in Tehran’s Urban Landscape

Abstract In the city of Tehran, a series of war-themed murals, often focused on strengthening the audience’s historical memory, stand out among all types of urban art. These works of art, which are generated by the government’s order and created by different state institutions, all carry political and ideological dimensions. They are considered a source of environmental qualitative assessment and recognised as a kind of ‘urban aestheticisation’; in other words, it is a process leading to the production of value according to the ‘John Dewey’ theory. Knowing that the war artworks contain a major political dimension and are mainly created by the order of the ruling governments to ‘strengthen the audience’s historical memory’, an added quality is inevitably integrated, which in the aesthetic domain is commonly known as kitsch: taking advantage of people’s standard associations and confirming them by employing proven stereotypes and clichés, as Ortlieb and Carbon (2019b) wrote. The urban landscape as an exhibition platform is therefore important as it is the context of social events and daily life that affects the audience’s perception. John Dewey defines this perception as an aesthetic experience which takes place in the field of empirical aesthetics and begins by explaining why specific objects give pleasure or displeasure. These explanations will later be integrated into a set of principles which, in turn, will join a global system of analysis, such as Fechner’s aesthetic valuations. The aesthetic experience of war urban artworks is analysed from the observation that in the creation of these works in Tehran, the government, as the sponsor, focuses on the use of the aesthetic qualities of the kitsch. The article then presents the reading of this aesthetic experience through the analysis of a selection of works, based on evaluation criteria and indicators. The interpretation of this experience is to discover the ‘quiddity’ of the evolutions which have occurred in these works from the beginning of the war until today. The following statement highlights one of the most notable results of the research: the weakening of the art position, from a promotional state that improves the urban landscape quality, into a way of showing government’s positioning concerning the paradigms of the country.

Development of a system for assessing the quality of urban street-level greenery using street view images and deep learning

Street greenery has long played a vital role in the quality of urban landscapes and is closely related to people’s physical and mental health. Also, the level of street greenery is an important indicator of urban environmental quality. However, despite extensive research into environmental assessment methods for urban greenery, plant identification and greenery index calculations are still mostly done manually. In this research, we developed a method based on semantic segmentation processing of street view images to calculate the Green View Index of urban streets, and the Panoramic View Green View Index (PVGVI) is proposed for measuring the visible street-level greenery. We validated the results by comparison with those of manual inspection and the Pyramid Scene Parsing Network method. The vegetation detection rate of our method is very close to the ground truth value, which means it can distinguish almost all of the vegetation information from the street view images, and based on it we can calculate the PVGVI which is reliable. In addition, we conducted a case study of street-level greenery using the PVGVI and confirmed that this method can better visualize urban street-level greenery. The proposed method is scalable and automatable, and it contributes to the growing trend of integrating large freely available street view image datasets with semantic segmentation to inform urban planners.

An Assessment of Road Landscape by Analysing People’s Perception and Expert Opinion of Khulna City, Bangladesh

Road landscape management is essential for a sustainable environment. This study is conducted to show the existing road landscape condition of Khulna city. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses have been done to analyze the existing condition of the road landscape. Urban Landscape Quality Index (ULQI) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) are used for qualitative and quantitative analysis respectively. In ULQI, the expert's opinion has been compared with the people's perception and 70.6% of similarity is found. From AHP analysis, KDA Avenue is ranked first which indicates that this road possesses the best road landscape and Sher-E-Bangla road is ranked last. The study finds that the road landscape of Khulna city is not in very good condition. For improving the livability and sustainability of Khulna city, investigation of the road landscape both from quantitative and qualitative perspective may establish the basis for future analysis.&#x0D; Journal of Engineering Science 11(2), 2020, 75-86

Point cloud modeling as a bridge between landscape design and planning

The paper evolves on the discourse of digital three-dimensional (3-D) modeling methods in the fields of landscape architecture and landscape planning. Digital design and planning methods used at present rely on mapping and modeling techniques that fall short of engaging the physical form of the landscape. However, form-specific knowledge is essential to understand how transformations can improve landscape functions, for example, in terms of providing ecosystem services and influencing climate in response to increasing heat in cities. The technical development of laser-scanning technology for landscape survey introduced new approaches over the last decade in working with geospatial data. Laser-scanning, or LiDAR, is now used to create digital 3-D representations of the landscape at high definition in the form of point clouds models. Beyond their function of representation, point cloud models can be manipulated to represent future landscape scenarios. Changes can be developed by editing the point cloud models and using the characteristics of form and scale of the physical site, resulting in an informed workflow of landscape transformation.In this paper, we address an existing gap in working concurrently with the analytical and spatio-visual properties of the landscape and propose a method that integrates landscape planning and design approaches by using point cloud models as a shared medium. We (i) propose a modeling method that employs laser-scanned data as a medium to represent landscape transformation and to enable a new level of inquiry for shaping future scenarios; (ii) exemplify with a case scenario in Singapore how point cloud models can be used to exchange analytical and spatial information for assessing thermal comfort; (iii) discuss the role that point cloud models can play in establishing a bridge between methods of landscape design and of landscape planning to develop the quality of urban landscapes.

Study of Urban Farming Potency to Support City Landscape Quality in the District of South Bogor

The rapid conversion of agricultural land into a built space has an impact on the quality of the city landscape. Urban farming is agricultural practice efforts in urban areas by using narrow land to produce food to fulfill the needs of urban agricultural products, while providing the benefits of landscape services especially in improving the quality of urban landscapes. This study aims to identify the potency of urban farming in the district of South Bogor to support landscape quality of Bogor city including ecological quality, aesthetic quality, and social quality of the community. From the research identified areas of agriculture covering 1.609,19 ha and agricultural activities in 49 farmer groups at district of South Bogor. In addition, a total of 164 plant were identified with a plant diversity index value of 2,774 classified as moderate. The results of the descriptive analysis of the landscape aesthetics at district of South Bogor show that urban farming and borrowing landscape from Mount Salak and Mount Gede Pangrango are able to present an attractive aesthetics of the city landscape. The results of the chi-square test showed that the respondent’s background in the form of profession and education had a significant influence on the social interaction of the community in the farmer group. Landscape management recommendations consist of a basic concept to maintain agricultural land and urban agricultural activities with 7 landscape management strategies that can be through development actions in macro by Bogor city government and micro through agricultural activities by farmer groups at district of South Bogor.

Environmental Value of Housing Gardens in Urban Landscape: A Case Study of Tusba/Van Detached Home Gardens

Residential gardens; increasing the quality of urban landscape by increasing the agricultural skills of the people of the city, providing economic gain, being one of the most effective methods of combating food, improving air quality, contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions and temperature, enabling social activities, recreation and leisure time opportunities has positive effects. The detached house gardens in the city of Van are characterized by multifunctionality, which gives people different advantages as in other cities. The aim of this study is to determine the place, properties and importance of residential gardens in urban life in urban area. In the study, detached house gardens, which are important traditions, were found in the neighborhoods of Tusba in Van. The literature on the subject has been searched, geographic information system software has been used to determine the available area uses and on-site observation and analysis methods have been used. As a result, the neighborhood with the highest number of residences with gardens was identified as Altintepe Quarter with 893 residences. At the end of the study, the aim of this study is to develop the suggestions for the sustainability of the garden culture by revealing the role of detached house gardens in the city which existed throughout history and whose examples are decreasing today. Keywords: Urban landscape, cultural heritage, detached house gardens, Tusba county. DOI: 10.7176/JSTR/6-01-07

Developing a Framework for the Implementation of Landscape and Greenspace Indicators in Sustainable Urban Planning. Waterfront Landscape Management: Case Studies in Gdańsk, Poznań and Bristol

Urban landscape (UL) management and urban greenspace (UG) delivery require effective planning tools. The aim of the study is to develop a conceptual framework for the implementation of ecological, structural and visual landscape and greenspace indicators (LGI) in spatial development of urban areas. The UL and UG management provisions in Poland are identified at various levels of urban planning (local, municipal and regional). Furthermore, the applicability of the selected set of LGI in the Polish planning system is considered based on the existing planning documents. The quality of UL and UG transformation is discussed in three case studies in Bristol, Gdańsk and Poznań in the broader context of the English and Polish spatial planning systems. Bristol is used as a point of reference for the evaluation of UL and UG management in Poland and for the comparison between English and Polish landscape policies. Based on the conceptual framework and the analysis of the case studies, critical areas of UL and UG management in Poland are identified. The existing planning system often fails to ensure the continuity of landscape structures, and it does not include its preservation and enhancement to a sufficient extent. Therefore, the implementation of the proposed LGI framework could significantly improve the ecological and visual quality, as well as the structural diversity of UL and UG. Moreover, the article concludes by indicating some practical implications of the proposed LGI framework for urban planners, policy makers and other stakeholders in terms of improving the modes of governance for UL and UG management as well as of accounting for human health and well-being.

Resolving intractable soil constraints in urban forestry through research–practice synergy

In compact urban areas, grey infrastructure tends to prevail over green infrastructure. The tight urban fabric challenges tree growth and restricts development of greener and healthier cities. The admirable forest-city goal demands innovative methods and solutions tailor-made to tackle inherent constraints. Research findings could be more proactively transformed and transferred into practices. The aerial tree growth space, relatively less difficult to ameliorate, attracts more attention. The more intractable subterranean constraints of confined soil volume acutely restrict root growth, root spread and tree health and contribute extensively to premature decline and tree hazard. Soil surface sealing by impermeable paving is associated with compaction, organic matter deficit, low nutrient and water holding capacity and meagre nutrient stock. Scanty application of research findings has kept practice quality at a low level, rendering the persistent soil problems in the bane of urban forestry. A systematic survey of state of play provides hints on novel solutions derived from existing knowledge and proposes new research practice. A package of measures with generic connotations has been distilled from the survey of chronic, critical yet widely neglected urban soil management issues. Urban forest managers and researchers can jointly adopt out-of-the-box thinking and generate actionable translational research. Policy makers and practitioners can more promptly be informed by new harvests of research–practice synergy. Intimate and reciprocal interactions between science and practice can be proactively nurtured to raise the quality of urban landscape.

Paisaje urbano y espacio público como expresión de la vida cotidiana

Given that urban landscape is the expression of everything perceivable in a city's public spaces, the analysis of urban attributes allows identifying patterns, sequences, and units in the urban landscape that lead to establishing design criteria in terms of visual quality. The paper proposes to study the attributes of the visual and functional quality of urban landscapes, including physical attributes: physical-spatial configuration, activities, biodiversity and diversity; as well as psychological attributes: physical integrity and aesthetic expression, which are applied to the assessment and design of public spaces in a sector of the historic center of the city of Merida (Venezuela). The methodological approach of the multidimensional construction of urban landscapes is used to explain conceptual aspects that affect the perception of public spaces, in relation to the attributes of urban space. This assumption suggests further aspects that demonstrate its usefulness for future research and design proposals on urban landscape.

Valuing Urban Landscape Using Subjective Well-Being Data: Empirical Evidence from Dalian, China

It has been well recognized that the urban landscape ecosystem is able to make a great contribution to the quality of life for people who live in the city and beyond, thus it can potentially accrue a significant economic value to the human well-being. However, due to its public good nature, it is difficult to monetizing its values in a systematic manner. In this paper, we attempt to assess the economic value of the urban landscape through people’s life satisfaction approach utilizing a large sample of dataset complied from the general public survey in Dalian City which is one of the well-known tourism cities in China. The results indicate that most of the urban landscape attributes impose significant effects on people’s life satisfaction, thus accruing a considerable amount of value to the local residents. Taking a 10-point ranking scale for the urban landscape quality as an example, the household willingness to pay on average reaches ¥24,579 per annum for one point of ranking level increase. Relative to the low level of household income, those high-income households are much keener to the changes of the landscape quality. If the urban landscape quality is disaggregated into five levels, household’s marginal willingness-to-pay diminishes as the urban landscape’s rank level is improved.

Productive landscapes as a sustainable organic waste management option in urban areas

Disposing waste on land is one of the major effects of urbanization and has adversely affected the urban landscape quality of the cities especially in developing countries. In the process, the quality of the wastes which has the potential for reuse in productive landscape purposes is not considered/tapped. This paper considers unused land/existing dumpsites as specific example cases that can be transformed or upgraded to a productive landscape space by exploiting up the nutrient potential of the major fraction of urban waste that is organic in nature. In order to achieve this idea, the work proposes a waste management strategy developed based on an onsite experiment at the neighbourhood level. Here the organic waste from the households in the neighbourhood is segregated, collected and brought to an identified vacant/unused land area within a neighbourhood where it is processed, maintained and transformed to a green space simultaneously as a cyclic process. The onsite experiment has helped to come out with a nomogram which incorporates depths, degradation time of the waste and plant growth period as variables based on the number of households, and their expected quantity of waste generation within the neighbourhood premises. Wherever applicable a refinement of this neighbourhood level attempt can be replicated at an urban scale to develop productive landscape spaces that cater to larger user group. The work thus analyses the process of developing any vacant land/dumpsite as a space having the potential to naturally process the waste adding to the aesthetic appeal of the city in a structured manner.