Visual Impact Assessment Method for Cultural Heritage: West Lake Cultural Landscape in Hangzhou, China

Huaiyun Kou (), Longchang Zhang and Sichu Zhang
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Huaiyun Kou: College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Longchang Zhang: College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Sichu Zhang: Library and Information Centre, Shanghai Urban Construction Vocational College, Shanghai 200433, China

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-22

Abstract: Visual Impact Assessment (VIA) is a critical tool in managing cultural heritage, evaluating the impacts of development and construction projects on the visual aspects of heritage values. However, VIA is often constrained by subjectivity, low public participation, and a lack of generalizability. This study aims to develop a methodological framework for a more objective and comprehensive assessment of visual impacts on cultural heritage. The study establishes criteria for indicators based on the value attributes of cultural heritage, develops an assessment indicator system, and integrates visual sensitivity assessment through multi-factor calculations with visual perception assessment using the AHP method and questionnaire surveys. This constructs an assessment framework that combines both objectivity and subjectivity. The Shangri-La Hotel East Building project at the World Heritage site of the West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou, China, is employed as a case study to empirically demonstrate the framework’s practicality and effectiveness. The results indicate that the Shangri-La East Building significantly impacts the attributes of the West Lake. The conclusion demonstrates that the indicator system, grounded in the attributes of cultural heritage, enhances the framework’s applicability across different contexts. The integrated assessment framework, which includes both a quantitative assessment of visual sensitivity and a public-participation-based assessment of visual perception, is shown to be effective in predicting the visual impacts of proposed projects on heritage values. The study also underscores the importance of Heritage Impact Assessment as a preliminary evaluation.

Keywords: Heritage Impact Assessment; Visual Impact Assessment; cultural landscape; West Lake of Hangzhou; Analytical Hierarchy Process (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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