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Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2022

Exploring the influence of the visual attributes of Kaplan’s preference matrix in the assessment of urban parks: A discrete choice analysis

Shayestefar, Marjan; Pazhouhanfar, Mahdieh; van Oel, Clarine; Grahn, Patrik

Abstract

A significant majority of the literature on natural environments and urban green spaces
justifies the preferences that people have for natural environments using four predictors defined by
Kaplan’s preference matrix theory, namely coherence, legibility, complexity, and mystery. However,
there are no studies implicitly focusing on the visual attributes assigned to each of these four
predictors. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the influence of nine visual attributes derived
from the four predictors of Kaplan’s matrix on people’s preferences in the context of urban parks. A
discrete choice experiment was used to obtain responses from a sample of 396 students of Golestan
University. Students randomly evaluated their preferences towards a set of potential scenarios
with urban park images. The results of a random parameter logit analysis showed that all of the
attributes of complexity (variety of elements, number of colors, and organization of elements) and
one attribute each of coherence (uniformity), mystery (visual access), and legibility (distinctive
elements) affect students’ choices for urban parks, while one attribute each of mystery (physical
access) and legibility (wayfinding) did not affect the choices. Furthermore, the results indicated a
preference for heterogeneity of the attributes. The findings of this study can provide instructions for
designing parks.

Published in

Sustainability
2022, Volume: 14, article number: 7357

    Associated SLU-program

    Future Urban Sustainable Environment (FUSE) (until Jan 2017)
    Built environment
    SLU Future One Health
    SLU Urban Futures

    Sustainable Development Goals

    SDG11 Sustainable cities and communities
    SDG3 Good health and well-being

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Landscape Architecture
    Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/doi.org/10.3390/su14127357

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/117536