City Color Planning Systems in East Asia in the 21st Century: A Comparative Investigation of Three Capital Cities

Abstract

Since the advent of the 21st century, with the promulgation of landscape laws and related landscape management regulations, city color, as a vital component of the urban landscape, has garnered increasing attention. In East Asia, numerous cities have embraced city color planning as a means to enhance their urban landscape and shape the distinctive features of the city. Therefore, this study focuses on exploring the characteristics of city color planning systems in East Asia by adopting qualitative analysis methods, using Tokyo, Seoul, and Beijing as case study examples. We used publications, academic research, and official documents clustered into seven domains to identify the following: government agency, introduction time, relevant laws, upper plan, tools/management, planning method, and planning contents. The results revealed that compared with Europe, city color planning in East Asia is government-led top-down planning, and there are remarkable similarities in the formulation process, planning methods, and color selection, while there are obvious deficiencies in the professionalism of the planning authorities and public participation. The results of this study provide a valuable reference for city color planning in the future, thereby enhancing the urban landscape and shaping unique city identities in East Asia.