Abstract
Previous research for visual assessment of streetscape employed static simulation methods to represent future landscape. However, streetscape is experienced sequentially, and thus dynamic simulations can be more effective. This study tried to adopt computer animation in the evaluation of streetscape, and examined its effects and possibilities. Three development scenarios for the redevelopment districts of Sokong-Ro and Banpo-Ro in Seoul were designed, and simulations were produced by three methods-photo-retouching, computer still image, and animation. A preference questionnaire was asked to 69 university students, and the effects of simulation methods on visual preference were examined. In addition, the frames of the animation were reclassed to identify the visibility of physical elements. The relationships between the visibility and visual preference were analyzed. The results showed that visual preference can be explained by three factors-Amenity, Tidiness, and Variousness-that account for 62.4% of the total variance, and the Amenity showed the highest proportion: 36.0%. Among the three simulation methods, animation showed the largest difference in preference for the most important factor(Amenity), and yielded the highest correlation between visibility of physical elements and Amenity. This result demonstrated that dynamic simulations can provide more accurate observation of visual changes, especially because the simulated landscape is experienced sequentially. The results also revealed that the sequential change in the visibility of physical elements can be examined easily and precisely by animation. This benefit of animation enables analysts to identify the points where the landscape varies the most, and thus visual preference should be evaluated.
