The effects of audio-visual perceptual characteristics on environmental health of pedestrian streets with traffic noise: A case study in Dalian, China

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected city dwellers’ physical and mental health and has raised concerns about the health of urban public spaces. This field investigation research in Dalian, China, examined the perceived audio-visual environment characteristics of urban pedestrian streets with traffic noise and their influences on the environmental health of the pedestrian streets. Five indicators reflecting psychological responses to environmental characteristics (willingness to walk, relaxation, safety, beauty, and comprehensive comfort) were used to measure environmental health of pedestrian streets with traffic noise. The results showed that safety was rated the highest, and willingness to walk was evaluated as the lowest among health evaluation indicators. The imageability and openness of the streetscape were associated with each health evaluation indicator. In contrast, the rhythm and continuity of the street buildings had a greater effect on willingness to walk than the other health indicators. There were negative correlations between LAeq for traffic noise and health evaluations. Positive health evaluations were observed when LAeq was less than 55 dBA. In contrast, soundscape indicators showed positive correlations with health evaluations, and acoustic comfort and noise annoyance, rather than sound preference and subjective loudness were associated with each health evaluation indicator. In terms of the combined audio-visual factors, acoustic comfort, the quantity of greening, annoyance, sky visibility, spatial scale, and building distance were examined as the determining factors affecting health evaluations, and 55.40% of the variance in health evaluations was explained by the soundscape and streetscape indicators. The findings provide references for better understanding the relationships between healthy experience and audio-visual perceptions. Moreover, they enable environmental health quality optimisation of pedestrian spaces considering audio-visual indicators and approaches in the post-epidemic era.

Positive or Negative Viewpoint Determines the Overall Scenic Beauty of a Scene: A Landscape Perception Evaluation Based on a Panoramic View

“…Finally, C15 also shows a significant positive effect on the beauty evaluation. Viewers are more likely to perceive artifacts as attractive and aesthetically pleasing scenes when they exhibit characteristics that are unique, exquisite, and in harmony with the environment, which is consistent with findings in architectural beauty regarding the influence of architectural structures on beauty evaluation [78][79][80]. In conclusion, these findings are in line with existing research on visual perception, beauty preferences, and sociocultural factors, and providing valuable insight and understanding for the field of landscape aesthetics and design.…”

Evaluating and Comparing Human Perceptions of Streets in Two Megacities by Integrating Street-View Images, Deep Learning, and Space Syntax

“…Designers and city managers need a clear understanding of how to measure these perceptions on a large scale. The previous research on urban street quality perception is usually qualitative and descriptive, including questionnaire surveys, field research, and social networks or macro-scale studies based on geography and sociology, which can capture humans' views on street quality perception but are limited by the observation time and number of observers, making it difficult to achieve a rapid evaluation on large scale and scope [10,11]. In addition, most macro studies only consider the impact of a single street-view element on human perception, and it is difficult to determine which of the multiple street-view elements influences street quality perception [12].…”