JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES-TARIM BILIMLERI DERGISI, cilt.15, sa.1, ss.88-95, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
This study aims to provide a methodology which integrates both user preferences and expert assessments to satisfy user needs and to guide landscape designers and planners during planning and design process of urban open and green spaces, especially urban parks. 25 photographs which belong to different urban park examples from both Turkey and abroad, are the main materials of this study. Two separate questionnaires were prepared and one was answered by users and the other by the experts. Then, user surveys and expert assessments were linked, and evaluated to determine the most preferred scenes. Data gathered in this study is found to be statistically significant and the results are consistent with previous studies regarding landscape preferences. Research findings show that certain levels of order, spaciousness, maintenance and the prominence of natural landscape elements directly influence landscape preferences. Finally, it is concluded that these spatial characteristics can be used to define preferred spatial typologies in urban parks which will guide planners and designers.