Influence of non-visual factors on visual preferences of Tabriz small urban parks using SEM

Parks contribute to green spaces in cities and have been accepted as essential components for quality living in the surrounding environment. Small urban parks provide intimate spaces where users are more aware of multidimensional sensory experiences. In urban parks, the new concept of multi sensory, which involves the integration of visual and non-visual (auditory, tactile, and olfactory) factors, could influence on aesthetic appreciation. In the current research as a part of PhD study in the field of landscape architecture, 16 parks were sampled from Tabriz city (Iran) and expected variables were chosen from them. By using Structural Equations Model (SEM) it was revealed that the relationship among Visual Preferences (VP) and Natural and Human-Body (for Smell); Natural and Human (for Sound) were significant. However, the impact of touch factors on visual preferences had not considered significant. Hence, it could be concluded that, consideration of public multi-sensory experiences (particularly sound and smell factors) are very important in designing small urban parks. The findings will benefits urban designers and landscape architects in their design.

Keywords:

Multi-sensory experiences , Visual preferences , Non-visual factors , Small Urban Parks , SEM