Sobre dimensões fractais de ambientes construídos e naturais

Abstract

In this study, fractal analysis is applied in the evaluation of the visual complexity of historic buildings and the surrounding natural environment. The fractal dimension and its approximations, quantified through the box-counting method, are used to define the general and local complexity of digital images of houses and landscapes. The essential properties of the box-counting method are discussed and an optimized version of the method is proposed. The hypothesis of the existence of a relationship between the complexity levels of built sites and natural landscapes is analyzed in the well-known case of the city of Amasya, and also for two historical cities in Brazil, Ouro Preto and Pelotas. The findings reveal a strong relationship between the spatial dynamics of fractal dimensions of built and natural environments.