Exploring Virtual Environments to Assess the Quality of Public Spaces

Belaroussi, Rachid; Issa, Elie; Cameli, Leonardo; Lantieri, Claudio; Adelé, Sonia · 2024 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.3390/a17030124

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

Get this paper ↗ (DOI — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)

Summary

This study investigates the validity of using immersive virtual reality (VR) to assess the quality of public spaces, specifically comparing VR-based evaluations against real-world video observations. The research is motivated by the need for proactive, human-centric design tools that allow planners to gather user insights before physical infrastructure is constructed. Traditional on-site audits are costly and impossible for prospective projects, while static images lack the immersive realism required for accurate perception assessment. The authors aim to determine if VR-Immersive Visits (VR-IV) can serve as a reliable alternative to real-world observation for evaluating walkability and cyclability. The experimental design utilized a high-resolution 3D city model of the LaVallée district in France, constructed using Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographic Information System (GIS) data. The model incorporated dynamic elements, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles, to simulate realistic urban environments. Three distinct Points of View (POV) were selected: a public area with a tramway station, a commercial shopping street, and a residential playground with green spaces. Participants underwent two conditions for each POV: an immersive visit using an HTC VIVE Head-Mounted Display (HMD) and a viewing of real-time video footage of the same locations. Following each exposure, participants completed questionnaires assessing streetscape quality, walkability, and cyclability. The researchers computed two specific algorithms from the survey data: Sustainable Mobility Indicators (SUMI) and Pedestrian Level of Service (PLOS). The study quantifies the relevance of SUMI and PLOS indicators within a VR setup and correlates them with factors influencing user experience, such as safety and relaxation. By comparing the rankings and scores derived from VR visits against those from real-world video observations, the research evaluates whether the order of classification for urban areas remains consistent across both modalities. The findings aim to establish if significant differences exist in the qualification of public spaces when viewed through VR versus real video, thereby testing the explanatory power of VR-based assessments compared to traditional visual methods. The significance of this work lies in its contribution to pre-occupancy evaluation methods for urban planning. If VR is validated as a reliable tool, it enables designers and planners to anticipate the impact of proposed designs on user perception before physical implementation. This approach supports sustainable development by facilitating the creation of spaces conducive to active mobility, such as walking and cycling, based on early user feedback. The study provides a framework for integrating human perception metrics into the design process, potentially reducing the reliance on costly post-construction audits and allowing for iterative improvements in virtual environments.

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed.

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-26; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• vru facing ehmi