Visual Harmony of the Proportion of Water and Greenery in Urban Streams: Baxi Stream, Yongan City, China
This study investigated the visual harmony of an urban stream considering changes to the ratio of water to greenery on the riverbed. The Baxi stream, a third-order stream in Yongan City, Fujian Province, China was selected as the study site. The stream reach is disturbed by several hydraulic structu...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/2/341 |
| _version_ | 1797436367989374976 |
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| author | Jinn-Chyi Chen Xun-Rui Fan Jian-Qiang Fan Xi-Zhu Lai Gui-Liang Li Feng-Bin Li |
| author_facet | Jinn-Chyi Chen Xun-Rui Fan Jian-Qiang Fan Xi-Zhu Lai Gui-Liang Li Feng-Bin Li |
| author_sort | Jinn-Chyi Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigated the visual harmony of an urban stream considering changes to the ratio of water to greenery on the riverbed. The Baxi stream, a third-order stream in Yongan City, Fujian Province, China was selected as the study site. The stream reach is disturbed by several hydraulic structures, such as restricted water flow by a vertical revetment and water level regulation by submerged dams. Images of the river were captured, and image processing was performed to change the proportion of water and greenery, and the proportions of various landscape elements in the image were calculated. Based on the statistical analysis of survey results, cognitive indicators (vividness and naturalness) associated with harmony and preference, and the relationship between harmony or preference and landscape elements, were established. Landscape elements included ratios of visible water (<i>W<sub>R</sub></i>), visible greenery (<i>G<sub>R</sub></i>), visible buildings, and visible infrastructure. The results demonstrated that visual preference, <i>P</i>, is positively correlated with harmony, <i>H</i>, vividness, <i>V</i>, and naturalness, <i>N</i>. In particular, <i>H</i> is almost consistent to <i>P</i>. The proportion of visible water and greenery had a significant impact on the <i>H</i> and <i>P</i> of the stream landscape. When the ratio of <i>W<sub>R</sub></i> to <i>G<sub>R</sub></i> was approximately 0.8, <i>H</i> was optimal, and the public’s <i>P</i> was high. These results can be used to improve and enhance the visual landscape quality of this stream reach. The methodology proposed in this study could provide other study areas with a reference for how to obtain the best visual harmony or achieve public acceptance by changing the amount of visible water and/or greenery. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:00:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dcb1d385fe3240f09ba7e04c67cc86bd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:00:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-dcb1d385fe3240f09ba7e04c67cc86bd2023-12-01T01:18:15ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412023-01-0115234110.3390/w15020341Visual Harmony of the Proportion of Water and Greenery in Urban Streams: Baxi Stream, Yongan City, ChinaJinn-Chyi Chen0Xun-Rui Fan1Jian-Qiang Fan2Xi-Zhu Lai3Gui-Liang Li4Feng-Bin Li5School of Hydraulic Engineering, Fujian College of Water Conservancy and Electric Power, Yongan 366000, ChinaSchool of Architecture Engineering, Fujian College of Water Conservancy and Electric Power, Yongan 366000, ChinaSchool of Hydraulic Engineering, Fujian College of Water Conservancy and Electric Power, Yongan 366000, ChinaSchool of Hydraulic Engineering, Fujian College of Water Conservancy and Electric Power, Yongan 366000, ChinaSchool of Hydraulic Engineering, Fujian College of Water Conservancy and Electric Power, Yongan 366000, ChinaSchool of Hydraulic Engineering, Fujian College of Water Conservancy and Electric Power, Yongan 366000, ChinaThis study investigated the visual harmony of an urban stream considering changes to the ratio of water to greenery on the riverbed. The Baxi stream, a third-order stream in Yongan City, Fujian Province, China was selected as the study site. The stream reach is disturbed by several hydraulic structures, such as restricted water flow by a vertical revetment and water level regulation by submerged dams. Images of the river were captured, and image processing was performed to change the proportion of water and greenery, and the proportions of various landscape elements in the image were calculated. Based on the statistical analysis of survey results, cognitive indicators (vividness and naturalness) associated with harmony and preference, and the relationship between harmony or preference and landscape elements, were established. Landscape elements included ratios of visible water (<i>W<sub>R</sub></i>), visible greenery (<i>G<sub>R</sub></i>), visible buildings, and visible infrastructure. The results demonstrated that visual preference, <i>P</i>, is positively correlated with harmony, <i>H</i>, vividness, <i>V</i>, and naturalness, <i>N</i>. In particular, <i>H</i> is almost consistent to <i>P</i>. The proportion of visible water and greenery had a significant impact on the <i>H</i> and <i>P</i> of the stream landscape. When the ratio of <i>W<sub>R</sub></i> to <i>G<sub>R</sub></i> was approximately 0.8, <i>H</i> was optimal, and the public’s <i>P</i> was high. These results can be used to improve and enhance the visual landscape quality of this stream reach. The methodology proposed in this study could provide other study areas with a reference for how to obtain the best visual harmony or achieve public acceptance by changing the amount of visible water and/or greenery.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/2/341visible watervisible greeneryvisual harmonyvisual preference |
| spellingShingle | Jinn-Chyi Chen Xun-Rui Fan Jian-Qiang Fan Xi-Zhu Lai Gui-Liang Li Feng-Bin Li Visual Harmony of the Proportion of Water and Greenery in Urban Streams: Baxi Stream, Yongan City, China Water visible water visible greenery visual harmony visual preference |
| title | Visual Harmony of the Proportion of Water and Greenery in Urban Streams: Baxi Stream, Yongan City, China |
| title_full | Visual Harmony of the Proportion of Water and Greenery in Urban Streams: Baxi Stream, Yongan City, China |
| title_fullStr | Visual Harmony of the Proportion of Water and Greenery in Urban Streams: Baxi Stream, Yongan City, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Visual Harmony of the Proportion of Water and Greenery in Urban Streams: Baxi Stream, Yongan City, China |
| title_short | Visual Harmony of the Proportion of Water and Greenery in Urban Streams: Baxi Stream, Yongan City, China |
| title_sort | visual harmony of the proportion of water and greenery in urban streams baxi stream yongan city china |
| topic | visible water visible greenery visual harmony visual preference |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/2/341 |
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