Assessing the Preference and Restorative Potential of Urban Park Blue Space

Shixian Luo, Jing Xie and Katsunori Furuya
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Shixian Luo: Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, Chiba 271-8510, Japan
Jing Xie: Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, Chiba 271-8510, Japan
Katsunori Furuya: Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, Chiba 271-8510, Japan

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-16

Abstract: Urban parks are essential parts of a city’s natural environment, and blue spaces of urban parks bring aesthetic and health benefits to people. However, the current blue spaces mainly focus on the marine environment or a giant water body scale at the urban or regional level. The urban park blue spaces (e.g., rivers, creeks, ponds) are relatively neglected. An experiment involving 10 different urban park blue spaces in Huanhuaxi park was conducted to assess urban park blue spaces’ aesthetic preference and restorative potential. The results indicated that (1) a water body with good water quality and natural visual form may be more attractive and have restorative potential; (2) blue spaces with high vegetation diversity are preferred, and artificial elements should be evaluated more carefully when added to the scene to avoid disharmony and conflict with the surrounding environment; (3) in practical design, the proportions of plants, buildings, topographical changes, and water should be coordinated to maintain the blue space’s landscape heterogeneity; (4) more leisure activities and interactions should be considered for better recovery; and (5) designers need to emphasize the balance of natural and man-made elements to enhance the visual quality of the water feature. This investigation is important for the management and development of leisure and natural resources in urban parks.

Keywords: aesthetic preference; blue space; landscape characteristics; restorative potential; urban park (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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