Frontiers of Architectural Research (2021) 10, 202e219

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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Assessing Linear Urban Landscape from

dynamic visual perception based on urban
morphology
Xin Jin a,b, Jianguo Wang a,b,*

a
School of Architecture, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
b
Key Laboratory of Urban and Architectural Heritage Conservation of Ministry of Education, Southeast
University, Nanjing 210096, China

Received 14 September 2020; received in revised form 28 December 2020; accepted 16 January 2021

KEYWORDS Abstract As an essential part of the urban landscape, linear urban landscape (LUL) is the
Linear Urban interaction between humans and nature, which is closely associated with daily life and brings
Landscape; multiple characteristics to visual perception. Current studies focus on complex models that
Dynamic visual describe visual perception using static viewpoints, but lossing the continuous and dynamic fea-
perception; tures of visual perception. This paper provides a general framework that can quantify dynamic
Urban morphology; visual perception based on urban morphology and improves accuracy in the descriptions of LUL
Scenario preference; linear spatial characteristics. Based on Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal (Hangzhou urban sec-
Beijing-Hangzhou tion), the proposed framework combines the indicators of multiple dimensions to quantify dy-
Grand Canal namic visual perception and emphasizes the continuity of LUL. To represent the dynamic visual
perception and the spatial pattern characteristics of LUL, different evaluation criteria of indi-
cators are set according to landscape scales. To minimize subjectivity and uncertainty caused
by subjective cognition and fulfill the landscape pattern under different urban development
policies, we set up distinct scenario preference patterns. With appropriate fine-tuning of sce-
nario preference patterns and setting of movement types, the proposed method can be adapt-
ed to other LUL projects and aspires to provide a general methodology and scientific guidance
for urban planning and landscape management.
ª 2021 Higher Education Press Limited Company. Publishing Services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf
of KeAi. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

* Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: jinxin@seu.edu.cn (X. Jin), wjg-cw@seu.edu.cn (J. Wang).
Peer review under responsibility of Southeast University.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2021.01.001
2095-2635/ª 2021 Higher Education Press Limited Company. Publishing Services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi. This is an open access
article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Assessing Linear Urban Landscape from dynamic visual perception
1. Introduction
Urban Landscape is a critical part of the urban ecological
environment system. It includes a nature landscape (e.g.,
mountains and lakes) and artificial landscapes (e.g.,
greenways and parks). As Charles Waldheim mentioned in
Landscape as Urbanism, Landscape has emerged as a model
and medium for the contemporary city (Waldheim, 2019).
With its complexity and interactivity, Urban Landscape
constitutes a city green space system and supplies benefits
to civil life and urban development (de Vries et al., 2003).
In recent studies, Urban Landscape extended from
ecosystem protection (Wu, 2014) and landscape quality
optimization (Van den Berg et al., 2014) to systems coupling
landscape and urban morphology in different aspects,
including spatial planning (Meerow and Newell, 2017), vis-
ibility analysis (Turner, 2003), and microclimate of the built
environment (Norton et al., 2015). Meanwhile, visual
perception (Subiza-Pérez et al., 2019) and visual prefer-
ence (Ebenberger and Arnberger, 2019) have drawn more
attention in Urban Landscape studies because the re-
searches emphasized residents’ values in the landscape.
However, even though the values of visual perception are
widely accepted as a critical element to understand and to
plan urban landscape, there are little studies on how the
whole range of visual perception should be assessed in
urban morphology. This paper aims to fill this gap by
exploring visual perception as a particular aspect of urban
landscape planning and management based on urban
morphology.
Different from the point-shaped or area-shaped urban
landscape, Linear Urban Landscape (LUL) focuses on the
continuous attractiveness of linear spatial patterns, which
describes the close bond between urban environment and
human activities (Wang et al., 2019). The connection space
between LUL and the built environment are landscape
ontology and the surrounding urban space. Visual percep-
tion is an attractive way to investigate and to experience
urban landscape. Compare with static visual perception,
dynamic visual perception emphasis on a continuous
experience process. This state also has great concern with
the observer’s movement types (Gibson, 1951). LUL d a
park accommodating human activities, a canal supporting
daily life of the city, or a city wall recording urban history
d has been highlighted as a functional landscape and offers
a dynamic approach to experience landscape and sur-
rounding urban space. Therefore, urban planning decisions
could use an articulation of LUL dynamic visual perceptions
(often called “moving experience quality”) as a reference
point and a flexibility index. In this context, LUL assessment
using dynamic visual perceptions is very important in urban
planning and landscape management, since visual percep-
tion strongly shapes the holistic cognition and overall un-
derstanding of the landscape and surrounding urban space
directly.
Since the late Nineteenth-Century, “Townscape” (the
origins of urban landscape) was transformed from “Result
of Site-plan” to “Visual Philosophy” for urban (Katz, 2015).
Visual planning has been highlighted as a “bottom-up”
planning approach to coping with artistic principles based
on human visual perception. It allows us to make judgments
203
and statements about the urban space according to visual
perception statically and dynamically. Gordon Cullen firstly
simulated dynamic visual perception of walking via serial
vision (consciously selecting a sequence of moving view-
points) by taking photos and drawing sketches. Based on
aesthetic principles, Gordon Cullen analyzed urban
morphology through the sequence of pictures formed by
relevant buildings and used it in a city plan (Cullen, 1961).
With the development of mechanical power and its appli-
cation in human movement, the region had become over-
laid with a complex series of transportation methods, each
with its own rate of movement and its own system of
perception attached. Edmund N. Bacon proposed a simul-
taneous movement system in which different types of
movement make up a complete cognitive system, and the
perception is different due to a different rate of speed
(Bacon, 1967). These researches assessed Urban Landscape
in the view of dynamic visual perception from two aspects
of movement: route and type. Without clear quantification
or computer-aided calculation, these perceptual ap-
proaches to the assessment of Urban Landscape quality rely
on qualitative forms of data collection including focus
groups and semi-structured interviews (Fletcher et al.,
2014); expert-based scoring (Moore and Hunt, 2012) and
photographic preference surveys (Gyllin and Grahn, 2015).
The necessity of objective indicators for the assessment of
urban landscape has constituted a subject of academic
debate since 1970’s (Unwin, 1975). Numerical and quanti-
tative values would help to reduce the subjective character
of landscape assessments and would guarantee similar re-
sults, independent from the individual judgement of the
observer (Joly et al., 2009). Quantitative research often
adopts mathematical statistics and probability theory, and
its purpose is to assess Urban Landscape concisely (Muhar,
2004). In addition, in the assessment of large-scale and
multiple scenarios, quantitative research is easier to
operatethrough frequent use of tools like geographic in-
formation system (Sherrouse et al., 2011).
Because of CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing), the
quantification of dynamic visual perception is feasible for
various applications, such as urban scene understanding
and perceptive attribute learning (Mnih et al., 2015). CAM
provides an objective viewpoint of measuring the human
sense of place and quantifies connections among the visual
features of the built environment (Zhang et al., 2018).
Different movement types such as walking (Lai and
Kontokosta, 2018) and driving (Yu et al., 2019) have been
studied to explore the relationship between speed rate and
visual perception of urban context through the various
quantitative method. Such methods quantitatively
described one or several static viewpoints rather than a
sequence of moving viewpoint, which ignored the dynamic
process of visual perception. In addition, previous studies
did not analyze different types of movement as an inte-
grated cognitive system. Therefore, it will be helpful to
consider the continuity of the visual field and integrality of
the movement system when quantifying the dynamic visual
perception of LUL.
During urbanization, cities expand their boundaries and
heights. The immense horizontal and vertical expansion of
the region has demanded a drastic increase in multi-scale
Urban Landscape (Francis-Jones et al., 2009) and lead to
204 X. Jin, J. Wang

criterion classification depends on multiple scales of the setting different evaluation criteria of indicators based on
urban landscape. As the expression of the dynamic inter- urban landscape scales; integrating and ordering visual
action between natural and cultural forces in the environ- perception corresponding to movement types via setting
ment (Antrop, 2005), the essence of the landscape is to distinct scenario preference patterns.
reconcile the demand on land use and natural resources (De
Groot, 2006). Previous studies generally delineated urban 2. Study area
functional regions and evaluated the physical environment
by land-use types in spatial planning dimension, socio-
The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is an ancient canal with
cultural dimension, and economic dimension (Solecka,
the longest mileage and largest engineering quantity of the
2019). While LUL is multifunctional, based on an assumed
world and still in use. This paper focuses on the Hangzhou
or negotiated spatial and functional compatibility of
section of the Grand Canal, which is 54 km long and around
certain uses (Ahern, 1995), land use can not classify its all
45e150 m wide, starting from the Sanbao navigation lock in
characteristics. As one of the earliest scholars who pro-
the south to the Tangxi Town in the north (Fig. 1). More
posed urban design research based on visual perception and
than 2500 years ago, people lived by canals. Nowadays, the
aesthetic principles, Camillo Sitte tried to establish an ideal
modern canal provides a variety of urban lifestyles for the
system to describe urban form according to people’s
cities, including living, working, commuting, shopping,
continuous dynamic perception in the city (Sitte et al.,
dining, and tourism. Therefore, the Grand Canal has been a
1966) Gordon Cullen described scale as “the inheren
significant LUL in Hangzhou.
claim to size the construction maskes to the eye” (Cullen,
As a source city in the East and South of the Grand Canal
1961). Kevin Lynch expounded the interaction between
and the capital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou is the his-
the overall comprehensive perception dominated by vision
torical, economic, and cultural center of the Grand Canal
and urban form (Chapman and Lynch, 1962). David Graham
and has already developed a varied and complex linear
Sean interpreted Lynch’s theory with the gene recombina-
landscape along the Grand Canal. After the Grand Canal
tion system, and proposed to analyze urban morphology
was recognized as the World Heritage List in 2014, the
through human visual perception (Shane, 2005). Therefore,
Hangzhou governments and citizens start to focus more on
visual perception is the direct feedback on urban
its landscape function. Along the riverside, The Grand
morphology; and the urban landscape scale, as an objective
Canal has a complex linear landscape with multi-scale and a
description of urban morphology type, is a fundamental
variety of experience modes through distinct movement
attribute in adopting a visual perception-based accessing
types. It is undeniable that when the LUL itself is particu-
approach to LUL (Selman, 2006). In this paper, the urban
larly narrow, the influence of the material and color of the
landscape scale has emerged as a classification approach to
riverside buildings on people’s visual perception will
analyze visual perception based on morphology.
exceed that of the urban morphology. Therefore, when
Conventionally, the quantitative assessments of visual
choosing an example, our principle is to ensure that the
perception require the selections of landscape parameters
shortest distance between the buildings on both sides is
of indicators related to landscape quality discernment and
more than 30 m. The assessing example (Hangzhou Section,
the selections of weights in a single scenario preference
Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal) we chose in this paper
pattern (Swetnam et al., 2017). Nonetheless, in the case of
meets this requirement. The research scope of this paper is
different movement types, besides the weights of in-
500e1000 m wide on both sides of the Grand Canal, which
dicators, the assessments of dynamic visual perception
covers about 94 km2 land and includes seven inland rivers
should superpose ordered weights of movement types to
and two artificial intake channels. The assessing scope is
simulate different evaluation scences. The absence of
about 10 km2 for the Grand Canal and the landscape belt on
different evaluator preferences is solved by the use of
both sides.
integrating and ordering visual perception corresponding to
different movement types via setting distinct scenario
preference patterns. Thus, the establishment of this sce- 3. Conceptual framework
nario preference can significantly reduce the impact of
subjective cognition on the evaluation results. It helps to This paper evaluated the dynamic visual perception of LUL
reveal the changes in the evaluation results due to the from an urban morphology perspective. Our goal is to
adjustment of movement types, and provides an effective quantify the moving observers’ visual perception of LUL in
support method for comprehensive evaluation. motion and assess it through a multi-factor model. The
Taking the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal (Hangzhou assessment of dynamic visual perception is challenging. The
Section) as a case, this study aimed to propose a multi- major obstacles are the translation from dynamic visual
result oriented approach for capturing and quantifying dy- perception into objective data description and multi-factor
namic visual perceptions of LUL based on urban quantified data analysis from an aesthetic quality view. The
morphology. We used a multi-factor model that can change pipeline of this work included data translation and data
the evaluation criteria and scenario preference patterns. It analysis, from perceptual experience to rational data
stimulated the reality and offered a systematic and trans- fusion, through an open multi-factor model evaluation
parent process of analysis and assessment. There are four model assisted by programming technology (Fig. 2).
challenges in LUL assessment: quantifying continuous dy- Previous approaches to quantify the visual perception of
namic visual perception of LUL under different movement LUL usually rely on inherent landscape characteristics
types; identifying all the indicators of dynamic visual evaluation (Stamps, 2002), expert-based scoring (Moore
perception and describing them in data-orienting method; and Hunt, 2012), and multi Participants scoring (de Vries
Assessing Linear Urban Landscape from dynamic visual perception 205

Fig. 1 Location of the study area.

et al., 2012). The above methods described the selected
(one or several) static viewpoint rather than a sequence of
moving viewpoints due to the limitation of observed tar-
gets. These methods have been applied to measure the
human sense of place and quantify connections among the
visual features of the built environment according to the
photographs or perspective drawing abstracted from spatial
models. However, it is hard to consecutively and compre-
hensively describe the dynamic process of visual perception
through selected pictures. In this paper, by establishing
movement routes and the extracting of observation mode
features under different movement modes, we captured
the vision of the consecutive viewpoints, obtained the real-
time scenes and their digital representations with com-
puter simulations. Meanwhile, the specially designed
calculation module was used to sequence all viewpoints
data. It took real-time scenes of continuous views as the
intermediate quantity and emphasized the continuity of
dynamic visual experience. Therefore, it completed the
data translation. Then, the quantization of dynamic visual

Fig. 2 Conceptual framework for LUL assessment.

206
perception was transformed into data quantization, which
reduced the burden in the batch calculation. Following the
environmental psychology investigation and aesthetic
principles, this study developed seven indicators to
describe the real vision of continuous viewpoints and
further evaluation. The seven indicators included Skyline
Curvature, Landmarks Distribution, Layers of Built Sur-
faces, Opposite Scenery Distribution, Sky expanse, Land-
scape expanse, and Fractal Dimension. During digital
representation, we extracted the features of the real-time
pictures, quantified them according to the indicators, and
finally translated the dynamic visual perception into the
objective data description.
Multi-factor quantified data analysis included distinct
evaluation criteria of indicators based on multiple urban
landscape scales and comprehensive evaluation via multi-
ple scenario preference patterns. The evaluation criteria
are based on Environmental Psychology investigation and
Aesthetic principles, which describe the digital represen-
tations of real-time pictures in the seven indicators. In the
diversity of scale, the urban landscape owned different
characteristics and led to different evaluation criteria. We
set the criteria according to the four urban landscape-
scale, including suburb scale, metropolitan scale, city
scale, and town scale. Depending on the description of
objective data and the classification of indicators, the
model adopted the normalized results of each indicator and
produced an assessment that consistently describes the
dynamic visual perception in urban morphology. To fulfill
the landscape pattern under different urban development
policies, we first considered the weight relationship be-
tween different indicators related to landscape visual
quality. In order to minimize subjectivity and uncertainty
caused by subjective cognition, distinct scenario prefer-
ence patterns are set to integrate and order the visual
perception of different movement types, so as to solve the
absence of multiple preference modes. To minimize the
uncertainty of subjective weighting and method selection,
we examined the previous research ideas, and the evalua-
tion results were used as constant values, and further
explored the effective scene-setting means of the value
range and interval of visual evaluation results. In addition
to weight, the indicators via AHP, Ordered Weighted Aver-
aging (OWA) Operator is required to superpose ordered
weight of movement types through an ordered weighted
average operator. Through the variation of ordered weight,
the distinct preference scenarios with random selection or
combination of movement types were simulated, which
provided landscape pattern development under different
urban design concepts.
In this paper, we used the ArcGIS platform to build a
model of the study area. ArcPy module was called in Python
for efficiently GIS data processing and translation. For
purposes of user-friendliness (operation-friendliness), ra-
tionality, and further development, the pipeline provided
user interface (UI) for easily establishing an evaluation
system, adjusting parameters, and facilitating the
research. It is worth noting that the evaluation framework
is an open and general model where the indicator criterion
and scenario preference patterns can be modified
X. Jin, J. Wang
according to the specific demands and assumptions. The
evaluation indicator considered can also be extended if
needed.
4. Data translation
Data translation is to quantify the assessment of LUL using
dynamic visual perception, in which the real vision of
consecutive viewpoints is analyzed using visual evaluation
indicators. Data translation includes two parts: quantifying
continuous dynamic visual perception of LUL in different
movement types and identifying all the indicators of dy-
namic visual perception and describing them in the data-
orienting method. The first part is data modeling and pro-
cessing. The characteristics of dynamic visual perception
are transformed into a continuous view of the real-time
scene, and digital representation is obtained through
computer simulation. The second part is the seven in-
dicators that describe the real-time scene of the contin-
uous viewpoints and provide an evaluation based on
Environmental Psychology investigation and Aesthetic
principles.
All data storage, modeling, and analysis were under-
taken within ESRIs ArcGIS v10.2 with Python and ArcPy li-
brary used for data processing. All important attributes of
the area studied were attached or assigned to polygon,
point, or line features.
4.1. Data modeling/obtaining and processing
In this section, an urban morphology model is described,
and an integrated cognitive system combined with different
movement types is proposed. The aims are to transform
continuous dynamic visual perception into a vector data-
base and to describe visual characteristics through an in-
dicator system.
4.1.1. Data modeling
Inputs for the urban morphology/space model are the DSM
(Digital Surface Model) as a vector layer and the DTM
(Digital Terrain Model) as a raster layer. Through coordinate
matching and establishing a unified data coordinate sys-
tem, the two datasets were merged to produce a simplified
DSM file, including the terrain, the building shapes, and
floors. Trees and urban furniture that might partially block
the view were discarded to provide a visible and simplified
case-scenario at the stage of urban morphology.
According to the height attribute, we took 3 m as the
floor height, stretched the bottom of urban buildings,
generated the 3D layer of the urban space model, and
converted it into the feature data for analysis. In the pro-
cess of human movement simulation, we found that when
the river width was within 150 m and the main viewpoint
height was human viewpoint (the default height is 1.7 m),
the buildings within two blocks to the riverside and the
buildings with height more than 100 m have the greatest
impact on human visual perception. In order to simplify the
calculation of the model, we choose two blocks (around
500e1000 m wide) along the river on both sides as two in-
Assessing Linear Urban Landscape from dynamic visual perception
dependent layers for subsequent calculation. In addition,
buildings with a height of more than 100 m and historic
buildings were also extracted as a separate Landmark layer.
4.1.2. Movement deconstruction
The urban visual appearance plays a central role in shaping
the human perception of their surrounding urban environ-
ment (Mnih et al., 2015). Movement routes and observer
types are the main reasons for the difference in visual
appearance (Bacon, 1967). Due to the linear spatial
pattern, the route is relatively unchanged within the same
movement type, and the dynamic visual perception of LUL
can be predicted, therefore. Besides the speed rate, the
movement type also affects visual perception in the
following aspects: visual height and visual angle (Harvey
and Dumoulin, 2016). A computer simulation was used to
capture the real-time image and digital representation of
the continuous viewpoint in the established routes, and to
describe the difference of visual experience caused by the
change of visual height and visual angle, so as to quantify
the dynamic visual perception in different movement types
(Fig. 3).
In this paper, we choose three movement types:
walking, cycling, and boating. By setting a simulate route,
speed rate, visual height, and visual angle, we emphasized
the continuity of dynamic visual experience and analyzed
different types of movement as an integrated cognitive
system. According to the different movement types, the
routes were drawn on ArcGIS based on the DSM and became
a separate layer. Subsequently, the continuous viewpoints
were extracted from the routes through the python script
and the library function interface. In persistence of vision,
our eyes continue to see an image for a split second after
the image has disappeared from view (Allen, 1926), and it is
stated that persistence of vision lasts for about a tenth of a
second (Fink and Lutyens, 1960), which means the sampling
period for capturing effective viewpoints is 0.1 s. There-
fore, with the speed rate of walking, cycling, and boating
6 km/h, 15 km/h, 30 km/h, respectively, the effective
Fig. 3 Data translation.
207
sampling intervals were 0.17 m, 0.42 m, and 0.83 m in
different movement types. Visual height was set to simu-
late the observation height under different movement
types and to transform the two-dimensional sampling
points (viewpoints) into three-dimensional point features.
Visual angle was based on the routes and ranges from 60
to
120
in moving direction, and it varied with the specific
position of the motion tracking.
At this point, movement types deconstruction is carried
out from the generated routes and the setting of a
continuous viewpoint. The viewpoints are represented by
speed rate, visual height, and visual angle, mainly convert
the abstract observation mode features under different
movement modes into continuous vector data. Based on
different cases, these settings can be altered according to
the scene.
4.1.3. Data processing
In previous studies, dynamic visual perception is based on
the idea of a “motion perspective” defined by Gibson as the
gradual change in the rate of displacement of contour lines
in the visual field (Gibson, 1951). The establishment of
sequence-experience notation indicates the connections
between the skyline and the observer’s sense of place
(Thiel, 1961), because the skylines abstract the real vision
of the continuous viewpoints (Panerai et al., 1999) and
leave unforgettable city images (Francis-Jones et al., 2009)
through the Gestalt and generalization of the real-time
scenes and their digital representations. Because the
adjacent buildings and the highest buildings have the
greatest impact on human visual perception, we proposed
to take multi-level contour lines for quantitative analysis
based on blocks, in order to represent the real vision of the
continuous viewpoints.
The contour lines of respective blocks were calculated
with the “skyline” tool in ArcGIS and set the visual field
according to the visual angle. In order to simulate the real
vision of the continuous viewpoints, we used ArcGIS
“skyline graph” tool to draw the contour lines graph and
208
obtained the vector data of the external contour of the
buildings in view, including the location, azimuth angle,
and zenith angle. Two separate layers and the overall layer
(skyline layer) were analyzed in 3D with consecutive, the
subsequent index calculation and analysis were obtained.
Output for the urban spatial model was the digital repre-
sentations of consecutive real vision, and it provided a vector
database for quantifying dynamic visual perception. In this
process, an integrated cognitive system combined with
different movement types was proposed through movement
types deconstruction and contour lines abstraction.
4.2. Indicator system
According to Environmental Psychology investigation and
Aesthetic principles (Simensen et al., 2018; Harvey and
Dumoulin, 2016; Liu and Schroth, 2019; Tenerelli et al.,
2017), Recognition, Hierarchy, and Visual Comfort have
been commonly recognized in assessing LUL from dynamic
visual perception based on urban morphology. Recognition
is the first factor to attract people. Hierarchy creates a rich
visual experience, and then Visual Comfort makes people
willing to stay for a long time. Therefore, seven relevant
indicators were selected to characterize the real-time
scene of continuous viewpoints. Fig. 4 describes the pro-
cess of indicator quantification and analysis with the
demonstration viewpoint as an example.
4.2.1. Indicators for “Recognition” dimension
“Recognition” is a concept that originated from Psychology
and provided an extensive dataset of visual attractiveness
during the viewing of complex images (Mnih et al., 2015).
Distinguish from “Legibility” (Chapman and Lynch, 1962),
Fig. 4 Indicator system.
X. Jin, J. Wang
Recognition emphasizes the recognizability in the physical
image of an urban landscape rather than a mental image.
Such as the abstraction of a consecutive real-time scene
through visual features (Stamps et al., 2005). The dimen-
sion of Recognition mainly includes two parts: the scene
characteristics with high recognition and the distribution of
landmarks.
C Skyline Curvature
To understand the real vision of consecutive viewpoints
and to quantify the Recognition of scenes, we used the
Skyline curvature to describe the twists and the turns of
skylines (overall layer contour line, including curve ampli-
tude and curve frequency). To improve the calculation ef-
ficiency, on the premise of keeping the local highest points,
local lowest points, and contour line trend unchanged. We
use Cubic Polynomial Curve Fitting (CPCF) to fit and simplify
the skyline as smooth curves. Interesting points are
extracted from the continuous curve, and so as to the
relationship between the key points.
Curve amplitude is a significant factor in the evaluation
of Skyline Curvature. It reflects the variability of the skyline
in the consecutive real-time scenes (Francis-Jones et al.,
2009). The ratio of two parameters was used to measure
curve amplitude: the differences between the vertical axis
and the horizontal axis of the adjacent peaks and troughs in
the curve. The larger the amplitude, the higher the cur-
vature, and the greater the Recognition. Curve frequency is
another critical factor affecting Skyline Curvature through
the variation rate of skylines. However, curve frequency
needs to coordinate with the scale of the scene: large scale
scenes need rich and orderly fluctuations, and small scale
scenes need to have prominent visual focus.
Assessing Linear Urban Landscape from dynamic visual perception
C Landmarks Distribution
As one of the five elements of urban image (Chapman and
Lynch, 1962), Landmark has a positive influence on visual
attractiveness, including urban buildings with signature height
features or memorable external forms, and historic buildings
or landscapes with important significance in the city. Land-
marks bring visual stunning and evoke a sense of place (Marcus
and Francis, 1997). Landmarks Distribution indicator measures
the morphological prominence of the consecutive real-time
scenes through the contour lines superimposition of the
Landmark layer and two separate urban building layers.
According to the location classification, landmarks can
be divided into two types: within the study area (2 blocks
along the river on both sides) and outside the study area.
The landmarks within the study area are calculated by the
salience of the volume through the proportion of the area
enclosed by the landmarks contour lines to all the building
areas. The landmarks outside the study area usually have
no advantage in volume due to the perspective effect, so
the measurement is height primacy. When two types of
Landmarks exist at the same time, the weighted average
after normalization is taken. If there is no landmark in the
scene, this indicator is 0.
4.2.2. Indicators for “Hierarchy” dimension
The “Hierarchy” dimension represents the effects of the
spatial structure of urban morphology and describes the
observer’s responses to the scene through rich visual ex-
periences (Harvey and Dumoulin, 2016). In our study, the
images of the consecutive real-time scene mainly consist of
two parts, the “image” of the buildings on both sides of LUL
and the opposite scenery. Therefore, we can capture the
spatial structure and quantify the sense of Hierarchy with
two indicators: Layers of Built Surfaces and Opposite
Scenery Distribution.
C Layers of Built Surfaces
A general rule to follow for evaluating in Hierarchy
dimension comes from the depth of field, including the pro-
portion of foreground, middle-ground, and background. In
the field of vision, by observing the images formed by build-
ings from different distance levels, a visual sense of hierarchy
is produced. Due to the visual preference of behavior and
principle, the hierarchy generated by the foreground and
middle-ground gets attention (Wilming et al., 2017).
In this study, the image formed by buildings in two
blocks along both sides of the river can be seen as a fore-
ground layer and a middle-ground layer, respectively.
Based on the aesthetic principles (Sitte et al., 1966), the
ratio of the area enclosed by different layers of Built Sur-
faces is used to evaluate the sense of Hierarchy.
C Opposite Scenery Distribution
Opposite scenery is another indicator that has a positive
influence on spatial Hierarchy, and that can be seen as a
focal point and a special form of background (Cullen, 1961).
The spatial form of LUL usually has twists and turns, and
there will be plenty of spatial nodes, rather than a flat
209
landscape, often forming opposite scenery at the turning
point. Besides, when urban buildings with signature height
features appear on the horizontal extension line of a
random viewpoint, they may also become the opposite
scenery in the current scene.
Opposite Scenery Distribution indicator measures the
perception richness and spatial structure of the consecutive
real-time scenes, as the opposite scenery usually becomes
the visual center in both oriental and western classical
garden and town design. The evaluation of this indicator is
calculated by three factors: location attribute according to
horizontal coordinate, height primacy, and volume salience
through contour lines and its enclosed area. If there is no
opposite scenery in the scene, this indicator is 0.
4.2.3. Indicators for “Visual Comfort” dimension
LUL is a product of interactions between the human and the
nature that brings multiple characteristics to complete
continuous visual perception, “Visual Comfort” is an indis-
pensable condition for people to stay in LUL for a long time.
According to existing studies of Visual preference (Wang
et al., 2016; Yokoya et al., 2014; Lin et al., 2018), the
“Visual Comfort” dimension has been developed into the
propPreferences for a lake landscape: Effects of building
height and lake wiortion of compositions in the scene and
the fractal-image of the built environment, and be calcu-
lated with three indicators: Sky expanse, Landscape
expanse, and Fractal Dimension.
C Sky expanse
As the regulation indicator for LUL morphology, Sky
expanse includes the Visual Comfort during movement and
in a consecutive real-time scene. The sky view factor (SVF)
is used to characterize the geometrical variation of urban
morphology in the process of moving. The proportion of sky
area is used to measure the figure-ground relationship in
the scene.
SVF is a commonly used factor for the geometrical
relationship among different surfaces of the urban envi-
ronment (Grimmond et al., 2001). Using the solid angle and
combining the height angle information of urban buildings
in all directions, SVF characterized through the 3D geom-
etry description of the correlation between building and sky
at the viewpoints (Gong et al., 2018). The consecutive real-
time scene is bounded by the sky, urban buildings, and LUL,
so the sky area can be expressed by the integral of the
difference between the upper view angle and the height
angle of urban buildings in the range of the azimuth angle
of viewpoints, so as to obtain the proportion of the sky.
C Landscape expanse
There is a broad distinction between LUL and common
rivers. It served as a starting point for this paper on building
the sense and the continuity. Landscape expanse should not
only accord with the visual aesthetic principles, but it is
one of the most dominant components, which is “reflection
of place spirit” in the whole scenes. The ratio of the LUL
noumenon area and the visual areas of the scene is used to
measure Landscape expanse.
210
C Fractal Dimension
As one moves along a linear space, the views offered are a
complex composition of images, both ordered and irregular
(Cooper et al., 2010). The fractal analysis offers potential as
a tool for quantifying and evaluating the visual comfort of
continuous images as the “geometry of nature” (Stamps,
2002). Fractal dimension is an important feature to charac-
terize the built environment by direct comparability and
better objectivity through the contour lines of the Skyline
layer. It represents the complexity of the contour lines, to a
certain extent, reflects the richness and coordination of the
continuous real-time scene in dynamic visual perception.
The box-counting method has been adapted in Fractal
Dimension calculation with FracLab, the fractal analysis
software of the Matlab toolbox. However, based on the
theory of contextual fractal fit (Bovill, 1996), Fractal
Dimension needs to coordinate with the scale of the scene:
large scale landscape need high-intensity gradients to
attract observers’ attention, and small scale landscape
needs to meet the comfortable range of visual perception.
Table 1 summarizes the method to get the indicators,
illustrates how to quantify the indicators based on the
digital representations of consecutive real vision.
5. Data analysis
Normalizing the evaluation criteria of seven indicators is
critical for Data analysis processes, and an emerging chal-
lenge is to apply the criteria and weights on multiple spatial
scales. Besides, this study presents an objective way of
evaluation based on multiple scenario preference patterns.
Such as preferences expressed by the demand of landscape
pattern development under different urban development
concepts, and reduce the preference caused by the deci-
sion maker’s personal cognition.
5.1. Indicators normalization based on urban
landscape scales
5.1.1. Urban landscape-scale classification
Landscape-scale is a spatial analysis method of landscape
based on “landscape unit” (Selman, 2006), which is origi-
nated from ecology. Conventionally, land use is similar to
classifications. In the process of modern urban planning and
development, the limitations of land use in landscape vision
study are gradually revealed (Atik et al., 2017): the same
land-use type owns different scales, and its visual perception
is totally different. For example, the super high-rise houses in
the city center and the villas in the suburbs have the same
land use function, but the landscape scale they feel is totally
different. In terms of the diversity of scale, urban landscape
owned different visual characteristics, leading to different
evaluation criteria. In this paper, we use scale instead of
function as a new classification method to build landscape
morphology without considering land use.
As the direct feedback experience with urban
morphology, visual perception is closely related to the
spatial form of built landscape: patterns of streets, blocks,
and buildings (Kropf, 1993). The blocks compose the urban
fabric, the street width defines the infrastructure grid, and
X. Jin, J. Wang
the average height of the building represents the space
volume (Moudon, 1994). Based on the interpretation of
local urban planning documents such as Guidelines for
regulatory detailed planning in Zhejiang Province, this
article contributes a classification method of urban
landscape-scale based on Block size, Street grades, and
Average building height, which is divided into: suburb scale,
metropolitan scale, city scale, and town scale, and as
detailed in Table 2.
5.1.2. Indicator normalization methods
Seven indicators presented above were quantified to
describe and characterize the dynamic visual perception of
the continuous viewpoints for the assessment of LUL. Due
to various physical dimensions corresponding to different
indicator attributes, the normalization of attributes is used
to transform different attributes into a compatible mea-
surement unit, which is indispensable in order to eliminate
the variances among different attributes and allow inter-
attribute comparisons. In terms of characters of different
indicators, we should choose a proper normalization
method for each indicator to represent the relative
comparative relationship among indicator values of sample
points (Table 3). There are three common types of attri-
butes related to this paper, the benefit type, fixation type,
and fixation interval type. For convenience, let M1, M2, M3
denote the three attributes, respectively.
As Benefit attribute (M1), the larger the attribute value
is, the better the attribute is. Indicators belonging to this
type of attribute are Skyline Curvature, Landmarks Distri-
bution and Opposite Scenery Distribution. The normalized
value We could obtained by:
aij  minaij
i
rij Z ð1Þ
maxaij  minaij
i i
where aij represents the value of attribute j from the
sample points Pi and maxaij is the maximum value of this
i
indicator among all sample points.
For fixation (on a) attribute (M2), the normalized value
could be obtained by
aij  a
rij Z 1 

ð2Þ
max
aij  a

i
where the fixed value a is either the most favorable
element or the target value for the attribute. The
normalization value is higher if the attribute value is closer
to the fixed value a. Indicator belonging to this type of
attribute is Fractal Dimension, Sky expanse, and Landscape
expanse.
For fixation interval (on [q1, q2]) attribute (M3), the
normalization formula is given as follows:
    
max max aij q1 ; q2  aij  max aij  q1 ; q2  aij
rij Z      
max max aij  q1 ; q2  aij min min aij  q1 ; q2 aij
ð3Þ
where the closer the attribute value is to the fixed interval
[q1, q2], the better the attribute value will be, which may
indicate the interval [q1, q2] is the most favorable interval or
target interval. Indicator belonging to this type of attribute is
Layers of Built Surfaces, Opposite Scenery Distribution.
Assessing Linear Urban Landscape from dynamic visual perception 211

Table 1 Indicator Calculation methods.

Indicator Factor Calculation Method Description
Skyline Curvature Curve 1 X DHi and DLi are the absolute value of height and azimuth difference
DH =DLi
amplitude n i Z 0:::n i in visual field between adjacent local maximum Point Pmax i
and local
i
minimum point Pmin , respectively.
Curve NPmax þ NPmin NPmax and NPmin represent the number of local maximum point and
frequency local minimum point, respectively.
Landmarks Volume SE =SL The ratio of the exposed landmark building area SE to the whole
Distribution salience buildings projected in visual field area SL .
Height HLandmark  HSHB HLandmark and HSHB represent the height of highest landmark and the
Primacy LLVF second highest building projected in visual filed, and LLVF is the width
of visual field projected.
Layers of Built SL1 =ðSL1þL2  SL1 Þ The ration of the area of the first layer building projected SL1 to the
Surfaces area of the second layer building exposed SL1þL2  SL1 in the visual
field.
Opposite Scenery Height HOSB  HNHB 0
HOSB and HSHB represent the highest opposite scenery building (OSB)
Distribution primacy LLVF height and the highest non-OSB height projected in the visual filed,
LLVF is the width of visual field projected.
Volume SOS =SL The ratio of the area of opposite scenery buildings SOS to area of
salience buildings projected in visual field SL .
X
360
Sky expanse 1 sin2 bn =360 bn represents the azimuth of the buildings at the n-th rotation angle.
nZ0
Landscape SLN =SS The ratio of the LUL noumenon area SLN to the visual areas of the
expanse scene SS .
Fractal log NðεÞ Considering box-counting method to get the Hausdorff dimension, ε is
dimbox ðSÞ Z lim
Dimension ε/0 log ð1=εÞ the side length of the box and NðεÞ is the number of boxes covering
images.

In multiple urban landscape scale, a multi-criteria de- such as Skyline Curvature, Landmarks Distribution, and
cision-making method based on utility measurement theory Opposite Scenery Distribution, are mostly evaluated based
(Greco et al., 2008) was proposed to solve the piecewise on Environmental Psychology investigation, and therefore
function. Before evaluation, the scale type of each view- they are relatively affected by scale changes. The
point was determined first, and then the specific normali- normalized result is mapped to a reasonable interval ac-
zation method was selected for each indicator. For the cording to the functions detailed in Fig. 5. For example, the
indicators of benefit type, we need to determine the normalized value of the Curve amplitude factor is 0.4, and
piecewise point and the utility value at the piecewise point after mapping with different urban landscape scales, the
of the linear function because the piecewise linear utility corresponding normalized values are 0.67, 0.33, 0.4, 0.44,
function is only related to the utility at the piecewise point. respectively (Fig. 5a). However, Fractal Dimension, Layers
For the indicators of fixation type and fixation interval of Built Surfaces, Opposite Scenery Distribution, Sky
type, a and the fixed interval [q1, q2] are assigned and expanse, and Landscape expanse, which are the indicators
calculated according to the criteria of multiple urban of fixation type and fixation interval type, are mostly based
landscape scale. Among them, the benefit type indicators, on Aesthetic principles, so they are relatively less affected
by the change of scale. It should be noted that different
factors in the Opposite Scenery Distribution indicator
Table 2 Urban Landscape-scale classification. belong to two types, so specific normalization methods and
Block size Street Average building formulas are applied.
grades height
5.2. Comprehensive evaluation via multiple
Suburb scale More than Expressway/ Up to 6 m
1 km2 Branch road
scenario preference patterns
Metropolitan Betwwen Main road/ 36 m or more
scale 0.09 km2 and Secondary A comprehensive evaluation includes two parts: the weight
1 km2 road of the seven indicators based on the dynamic visual
City scale Between Secondary No less than 9 m perception and flexible support for the prediction of urban
0.04 km2 and road/Branch and no more than design management and planning by considering the eval-
0.09 m2 road 36 m uation results under multiple scenarios. The weights of the
Town scale Less than Branch road No less than 6 m indicators were scored using the AHP method (Shiau and
0.04 km2 and no more than Liu, 2013). To recognize the landscape pattern of
24 m different urban development policies, we determine the
proportion of different movement types. Through the
212
establishment of different motion-oriented scenario pref-
erence patterns, the random selection and combination of
movement types are simulated, and the results of land-
scape visual assessment under multiple urban design stra-
tegies are obtained.
In some cases, public authorities impose confirmed
urban development policies or master plan to ensure the
control of human flow and behavior. At this time, technical
guidelines are relatively typical on the “planned prefer-
ences” with the superordinate planning or urban design
guidelines. However, in the absence of clear regulations on
human flow and behavior, the subjectivity and uncertainty
of subjective cognition should be minimized. Therefore, we
can integrate and order the dynamic visual perception of
different movement types by setting different scene pref-
erence patterns to solve the lack of multiple preference
modes. Simply superimposing the weighted indicators usu-
ally results in the evaluation of some movement types with
the obvious limitation being compensated by another type.
As a compromise, the evaluation results often lose the
limitation of the original intention and can not reflect the
influence of different movement types on the overall
assessment.
The ordered weighted average (OWA) is introduced to
order the importance of indicator attributes, and the and
the decision results obtained under multiple scenario
preference patterns are simulated the change of ordered
weights (Yager, 1988). The core of the OWA algorithm is to
reorder the movement types according to the importance
of attributes and give different order weights to different
rankings. Based on Maximum Entropy OWA method
(MEOWA), we choose a vector of weights as OWA weights
that maximizes the dispersion Disp(w) which is defined as
X
n
DispðwÞ Z  wj log wj ð4Þ
jZ1
It could be formulated as an optimization problem as
follows,
X
n tion, Layers of Built Surfaces, Opposite Scenery Distribu-
Max  wj log wj
jZ1
X
n
s:t: wj Z1;
jZ1 ð5Þ
X
n
nj
wj Za:
jZ1
n1
wj  0; jZ1; ::::; n
where wi  0, j is the attribute order, wj is the assigned
weight for j th attribute, and 0  a  1 indicates “optimism
degree” (Yager, 2009).
When the evaluation shows a pattern of no preference
and also tends to the state of “average distribution", a Z
0:5, the order weight is equal. The calculation is trans-
formed into a common criterion weight superposition.
When the evaluation shows an optimistic pattern and tends
to the preference of “highlighting the advantages” a < 0:5,
and will give a higher weight to the movement type with
better evaluation results. The final evaluation results can
directly show the advantageous areas in the whole section.
X. Jin, J. Wang
When the evaluation shows a more pessimistic pattern and
tends to the preference of “problem control " a > 0:5, and
will give a higher weight to the movement type with poor
evaluation results. The final evaluation results can highlight
the areas where serious problems need to be solved.
Scenarios patterns are related to specific development
management policies and decision purposes. This paper
focuses on the potential of magnifying evaluation results
influenced by the order weight of movement types through
setting multiple scenario preference patterns and then as
an effective support method for LUL assessment. Through
calculation, it is found that when a Z 0.2 and a Z 0.8 are
selected as the order weights of the movement types, the
results show that the degree of data separation is relatively
appropriate, which is in line with the decision purposes of
zoning control according to the assessment differences.
Thus, in order to better reflect the changes of evaluation
results caused by scenario preference patterns: a Z 1 is
the result of weighting in the undifferentiated scenario;
a Z 0.2 is the result of weighting in the scenario with
highlighting the advantage; a Z 0.8 is the result of
weighting in the scenario with problem control.
6. Findings/results
6.1. Spatial distribution of LUL dynamic visual
perception indicators
Fig. 6 showed spatial patterns of the seven indicators under
three movement types, simulating three typical routes
from north to south, running through the study area,
including four kinds of urban landscape scales, and repre-
senting the interactions among dynamic visual perceptions
of LUL and urban morphology. Firstly, although considering
the criteria of multiple urban landscape scale, the visual
quality of most indicators weakened from the downtown
area to the outer suburbs, and enhanced in Tangxi Town,
including those for Skyline Curvature, Landmarks Distribu-
tion, and Fractal Dimension. High-quality areas were
distributed mainly in the south part, and the northeastern
part of the Grand Canal (Hangzhou Section), and low-
quality areas were mostly located in the suburb area from
Xiecun to Zongguantang. These distribution patterns were
closely related to the urban sprawl of Hangzhou City. The
suburb area nearly has no buildings, so the dynamic visual
perception was short of Recognition, hierarchy, and vari-
ety. The downtown area of Hangzhou and Tangxi Town
highlighted the richness of LUL, resulting in higher visual
quality. However, the distributions of sky expanse and
landscape expanse were different from the above in-
dicators, which were determined by the spatial pattern of
the Grand Canal. Due to the lack of building shelter, these
two indicators maintained stable and relatively high results
in the suburban areas. Besides, the indicators are not
completely positive correlated and independent, but con-
tradictory and interacted, to the assessment of LUL in the
view of dynamic visual perceptions.
Secondly, Fig. 6 summarizes the spatial distribution of
indicators under three movement types normalized by the
Urban Landscape-scale. In the boating type, the indicator
Assessing Linear Urban Landscape from dynamic visual perception 213

Table 3 Indicator normalization methods.

Indicator
Skyline Curvature
Landmarks Distribution
Layers of Built Surfaces
Opposite Scenery Distribution
Sky expanse
Landscape expanse
Fractal Dimension
Factor Normalization type Normalization method
Curve amplitude M1 Varies according to Urban Landscape Scale
Curve frequency M1 Varies according to Urban Landscape Scale
Volume salience M1 Varies according to Urban Landscape Scale
Height Primacy M1 Varies according to Urban Landscape Scale
e M3 Based on Eq. (3) with fixation interval [0.382,1.618]
location attribute M3 Based on Eq. (3) with fixation interval [0.382, 0.618]
height primacy M1 Varies according to Urban Landscape Scale
volume salience M1 Varies according to Urban Landscape Scale
e M2 Based on Eq. (2) with fixation value 0.333
e M2 Based on Eq. (2) with fixation value 0.333
e M2 Based on Eq. (2) with fixation value 1.84

of layers of built surfaces is generally low, but the area
from Wulinmen to Gongchenqiao is relatively high, which is
mainly due to the low visual height of boating viewpoints
and leads to the magnification of perspective effect of
riverside blocks and serious occlusion. The overall trend of
skyline curvature and fractal dimension indicators de-
creases from the downtown area to the suburbs, and the
overall value is still relatively high. The main reason is that
compared with the other two movement types, the boating
has a wider visual angle and a larger scene scope, and leads
to a richer visual effect. In the cycling type, the indicators
of skyline curvature and fractal dimension are relatively
low, and the overall trend decreases from the downtown
area to the suburbs, but the area around Sanbao and Tangxi
town is strengthened. Because of the narrow view angle,
the scope of the scene is reduced, resulting in a
monotonous visual effect. Compared with the other two
movement types, the layers of built surfaces indicator has
the highest value, mainly because the cycling type has the
highest viewpoint. However, the absolute value is still low
due to the average height of the buildings along the river
from Sanbao to Wulinmen is high and seriously blocks the
rear block buildings. In the walking type, the three in-
dicators of layers of built surfaces, skyline curvature, and
fractal dimension are general. However, because the line of
sight direction is not the same as the other two types, the
basic data are different, but the spatial distribution fluc-
tuation amplitude of the indicators is basically the same.
The distributions of indicators embodied the complexity
and comprehensiveness of LUL visual quality.
Thirdly, the indicators of landmarks distribution and
opposite scene distribution are related to movement types,

Fig. 5 Indicator/factors (normalized) mapping interval based on urban landscape scales.

214
but the route and location of viewpoints are more domi-
nant. According to the distribution of the landmarks layer,
from Wulinmen to Gongchenqiao is the area with intensive
landmarks resources, so the indicator of landmarks distri-
bution in this region is better. The opposition scene distri-
bution indicator is more related to the tortuous degree of
the Grand Canal itself. Because the Grand Canal has a rich
and tortuous water system morphology, especially from
Sanbao to Gongchenqiao, the spatial pattern of the canal
has changed obviously, and the indicator is relatively higher
than the others. Compared with the other two movement
types, the average result of this indicator is higher in the
boating type, which is mainly due to the low visual height of
boating viewpoints, and leads to the prominent for the
opposite scene.
6.2. The spatial pattern of LUL dynamic visual
perception
A descriptive analysis presents the differences in dynamic
visual perceptions under three movement types across the
route, speed rate, visual height, and visual angle, and re-
veals spatialeexperiential variances of 3 movement types
in the Grand Canal (Hangzhou Section), the direction of
movement is from north to south (Fig. 7). Due to the
different route and movement types, the real-time scenes
obtained under three movement types are different, so the
evaluation objects are different, resulting in a different
spatial pattern. The indicators were weighted and overlaid
via AHP to map the spatial patterns of LUL dynamic visual
perception in terms of movement types.
Firstly, among the three-movement types, the speed of
boating is the largest, followed by cycling and walking.
Therefore, at the same distance, the number of walking
viewpoints is the largest, so the distance between each
viewpoint is the smallest, and the visual change is the
gentlest. From the spatial pattern of dynamic visual
perception, the overall visual quality decreased from the
downtown area to the outer suburbs, but it was improved in
Tangxi town. In urban areas, the areas with more land-
marks, more water system changes, the open water surface
of canals, and large urban landscape scale have better vi-
sual quality.
Secondly, in the downtown area, due to the different
spatial patterns of the city and the Grand Canal, the spatial
distribution of LUL dynamic visual perception under three
movement types is different. From Genshanmen to Wulin-
men, the width of the canal surface is narrow, and the
height of riverside buildings is high. Therefore, the dynamic
visual perception of the boating type is the lowest, and that
of cycling type is the highest. From Snabao to Genshanmen
and from Wulinmen to Xiecun, although the width of the
canal surface does not increase much, dynamic visual
perception of boating type was significantly improved due
to the low height of riverside buildings. Because of the
different sight direction between the walking type and the
other two, the dynamic visual perception of walking type is
the highest in these sections, and the cycling type is the
lowest. In suburban and town areas, from Xiecun to Tangxi
Town, the water surface of the canal gradually widens. The
building height of this section is low, and the overall change
X. Jin, J. Wang
trend of the scenes is relatively gentle, so the spatial dis-
tribution of dynamic visual perception of three movement
types is relatively low, especially the cycling type.
Thirdly, walking is a relatively stable and high-quality
way of viewing, and the overall change is not large. In the
downtown area, boating is not the optimal dynamic viewing
type of LUL, and it is more suitable for the area with wide
water surface in the canal, and its dynamic visual percep-
tion is greatly affected by the height of riverside buildings
and the morphology of the canal. The dynamic visual
perception of cycling fluctuates greatly, which is more
suitable for the downtown area with narrow canals and rich
visual changes.
6.3. Assessments for distinct scenario preference
patterns
Different movement types are independent but also related
and interact with each other. In this paper, the dynamic
visual perception of different movement types is integrated
and ordered to simulate the evaluation results of three
scenario preference patterns, including the scenario with
highlighting the advantage, undifferentiated, and problem
control. Considering the spatial characteristics of LUL, the
width of both sides of the landscape ontology is limited. In
this case, through several simulation experiments, it is
proved that under the same movement type, there is
almost no difference in the dynamic visual perception
within the area enclosed from the central line of the Grand
Canal as the axis, along the movement direction of 100 m,
to the boundary of assessing scope. Therefore, a demo
route can be used to represent the results of random paths
in the same movement type within the assessing scope. The
central line of the Grand Canal is taken as the axis and
equally divided into 500 parts along its vertical direction.
One thousand landscape slices were generated, and the
comprehensive evaluation was made under different scene
preference patterns. In each landscape slice, the average
value of all viewpoints is involved in the calculation. Mul-
tiple scenario preference patterns are set to enlarge the
evaluation results affected by the order weight of move-
ment types, which can be used as an effective support
method for LUL assessment.
Fig. 8 demonstrates fundamental differences between 3
scenario preference patterns, including the scenario with
highlighting the advantage, undifferentiated, and problem
control. The undifferentiated pattern refers to the situation
that the ordered weights of all movement types are equal,
and the probability of 3 movement types is the same. In this
pattern, the differences among these movement types will
cancel each other, so it can reflect the relatively average
dynamic visual perception. The pattern of highlighting the
advantage is a positive mode, based on the results of 6.2, in
each landscape slices, the dynamic visual perception eval-
uation of different movement types is positively correlated,
integrated, and ordered according to the evaluation results.
When a Z 0.2, simulate the optimized scenario based on the
appropriate principle of movement types. The pattern of
problem control is a relatively conservative pattern, based
on the results of 6.2. In each landscape slices, the dynamic
visual perception evaluation of different movement types is
Assessing Linear Urban Landscape from dynamic visual perception
Fig. 6 Spatial distribution of LUL dynamic visual perception indicators.
ordered in reverse according to the evaluation results. When
a Z 0.8, in the simulated scenario, the areas in need of
visual quality control and improvement is highlighted by
assigning larger ordered weight to the movement type with
the low evaluation of dynamic visual perception.
As shown in Fig. 8, compared with the undifferentiated
pattern, all the districts could be divided into three cate-
gories based on scenario preference. The first category
refers to the appropriate principle of movement types and
makes the result of the assessment upgrade obviously.
Specifically, the districts of Tangxi Town and Xiecun
improve the dynamic visual perception from a lower value
to a higher value by optimizing the proportion of movement
types. The second category is that by adjusting the pro-
portion of movement types within the districts, the
215
assessment result is significantly reduced, and the dynamic
visual perception is changed from the higher value to lower
value, thus highlighting the districts such as Gongchenqiao,
Wulinmen, and Sanbao that need visual quality control and
improvement. The third category is the districts with the
result of the assessment is basically unchanged after
adjustment of different movement proportion, including
Zongguantang and Genshanmen. Specifically, in the first
two categories of districts, due to the large difference of
dynamic visual perception under three-movement orienta-
tions, the proportion variance of movement types has a
great impact on the assessment results. In the third cate-
gory, the values under the three-movement type are rela-
tively average, so there is little influence on the final
assessment result.
216
7. Discussion
7.1. Challenges in adopting dynamic visual
perception perspective in LUL assessment
In dynamic visual perception, the LUL assessment provides
the holistic cognition and overall understanding of the
landscape and surrounding urban space through a contin-
uous experience process. The dynamic visual perception
perspective in LUL assessment has raised challenges in the
quantification of dynamic visual perception and embodi-
ment of continuous movement.
First, it is challenging to transform the abstract
perception of different movement types into quantitative
analysis data. This is a process from vector data to images,
and then to extract the data of image features. By using the
difference of movement routes and observation states
(speed rate, visual height and visual angle), the charac-
teristics of dynamic visual perception are transformed into
a continuous view of the real-time scene, and its digital
representation is obtained through computer simulation.
Therefore, a data-oriented method can be adopted for
identifying and describing all the indicators to assess the
dynamic visual perception of LUL.
Second, it is challenging to describe a dynamic cognitive
system and a continuous evaluation process. By simulating
Fig. 7 The spatial pattern of LUL dynamic visual perception.
X. Jin, J. Wang
the working state of the human eye, the continuous view-
point is extracted from the moving routes to reflect the
continuity and coherence of the dynamic visual perception.
In the whole process, real-time images of continuous
viewpoints are considered as media of data translation, not
the ontology to participate in the calculation as the eval-
uation object, and construct the bridge between the input
DSM data and the output indicators evaluation. Therefore,
the specially designed calculation module can be adopted
for processing data in batches to assess the dynamic visual
perceptions of LUL.
7.2. Methodological considerations and challenges:
implications for urban planning and landscape
management
This study provides a valuable and general methodology for
assessing LUL and supports the practice of spatial planning
and landscape management of cities based on urban
morphology.
First, the research framework of a dynamic perspective
is a supplementary flexible control to the traditional land-
scape quality assessment at the level of urban morphology.
Different from the previous static perspective, which fo-
cuses on the visual quality of one or several viewpoints, the
perspective based on dynamic perception pays more
Assessing Linear Urban Landscape from dynamic visual perception
Fig. 8 Values for distinct scenario preference patterns.
attention to the sequence of moving viewpoints. It sug-
gested that as the main observation mode, dynamic viewing
should emphasize the perception of special points and the
continuous perception of LUL while considering the trend of
the overall visual process. Moreover, different types of
movements are considered as an integrated cognitive sys-
tem, which can provide a complete assessment of LUL.
Secondly, this paper provides a scale-dependent method
to normalize the evaluation criteria of indicators. In the
process of modern urban planning and development, urban
function and urban spatial form can not be consistent.
Based on the particularity of visual research, land use, the
traditional classification method of urban planning, shows
its limitations in the spatial classification of built land-
scapes. From the urban planning point of view, landscape-
scale is a new classification method of visual assessment,
which reflects the duality of spatial characteristics and
landscape characteristics of LUL.
Thirdly, multiple scenario preferences oriented
comprehensive evaluation method is set to integrate and
order the visual perception of different movement types, so
as to minimize subjectivity and uncertainty caused by
subjective cognition. Although the results of the evaluation
are not completely accurate, it is an effective support
method for urban planning and landscape management to
reduce the influence of a single result by the subjective
cognition of the subject and to reveal the changes of the
evaluation result caused by the adjustment of the move-
ment types. Through the variation of ordered weight, the
distinct preference scenarios with random selection or
combination of movement types are simulated to meet the
needs of landscape pattern development under different
urban design concepts. In addition, the evaluations of
multi-scenario preference patterns provide more scientific
guidance and objective predictions for the assessment of
LUL.
8. Conclusion
LUL is closely related to the urban environment and human
activities (Wang et al., 2019) due to its urban green corridor
attributes. Although various studies were presented on LUL,
most of which were in static states. In contrast, this paper
proposed a general framework for the quantitative assess-
ment of LUL based on urban morphology using dynamic vi-
sual perception. We took the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal
(Hangzhou Section) as an example. By considering the
217
continuity of the visual field and the integrity of the motion
system, we introduced a data translation method to quan-
tify the dynamic visual perception under different move-
ment types. The dynamic visual perceptions were
transferred into the real-time scenes and their digital
representations with computer simulations. We identified
and described the real vision of the continuous viewpoints
with seven selected indicators guided by Environmental
Psychology investigation and Aesthetic principles. By
quantifying the real-time scenes of continuous views, the
pipeline employed DSM data as indicators evaluation.
Meanwhile, different evaluation criteria for indicators were
established by combining multiple landscapescales. It re-
flects a certain landscape characteristic of LUL by the use
of four types of selected urban landscape scale that are
treated as crucial for the whole assessment. Furthermore,
multiple scenario preference patterns were established to
reduce uncertainty caused by subjective cognition and to
fulfill the landscape pattern under different urban devel-
opment policies. With appropriate fine-tuning of scenario
preference patterns and setting of movement types, the
method can be adapted to other LUL projects and provides
scientific guidance for urban planning and landscape
management.
Declaration of competing interest
The author of Article “Assessing Linear Urban Landscape
from Dynamic Visual Perception based on urban
morphology” declared that they have no conflicts of in-
terest to this work.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Scientific Research Foun-
dation of Graduate School of Southeast University (No.
YBJJ1601).
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