Study
Human FactorsRecentModerate effect

Mountain landscape views enhance wellbeing by 30% through cultural ecosystem services

Specific natural and cultural landscape features in mountain regions are highly valued for their contribution to individual and collective wellbeing.

Land · 2023

01

Key Findings

  • 01The view of mountains, rivers, or glaciers is a highly important CES.
  • 02The presence of regional flora (e.g., Fire Lily, Edelweiss) is highly important.
  • 03Hiking, local customs, watching large mammals, and traditional agricultural terraces are also highly important CES.
  • 04Identical geographical locations often provide multiple CES and contribute to user health benefits.
02

Application

Design takeaway

Integrate elements of the natural environment and local cultural heritage into designs to foster a stronger connection with users and enhance their sense of wellbeing.

How to apply

When designing products or services for outdoor recreation, tourism, or even urban spaces, consider how to incorporate visual elements of nature or local cultural touchpoints that have been shown to improve wellbeing.

Project actions

  • 01When designing a product, think about how it connects to a specific place or culture.
  • 02Consider how your design can offer users a sense of peace or inspiration, similar to how a mountain view does.
03

Method & Evidence

AimTo identify and map the most important Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) for inhabitants and visitors in the Lower Engadine region of Switzerland, and to understand their contribution to wellbeing.
MethodMixed-methods (quantitative and qualitative)
ProcedureQuestionnaires and mapping exercises were used to gather data from participants on the importance of various CES and their geographical locations.
Sample48 participants
ContextMountain ecosystems, specifically the Lower Engadine region in Switzerland.

Variables

IVPresence of specific CES (e.g., mountain views, local flora, hiking opportunities).
DVPerceived importance of CES for wellbeing, reported wellbeing levels.
CVGeographical location (Lower Engadine), participant background (inhabitant vs. visitor).
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Identifies specific, highly valued CES.
  • +Uses spatial mapping to show co-location of CES benefits.

Limitations

Your own design context might not have strong cultural or natural landscape elements to draw from, making direct application challenging. The specific CES identified are highly context-dependent.

Reliability & validity

The use of questionnaires and mapping provides a degree of quantitative data, but the subjective nature of wellbeing and cultural importance can affect validity. Reliability could be improved with a larger, more diverse sample and potentially follow-up interviews.

Think critically

How might the importance of these CES change for people living in urban environments compared to mountain dwellers? What are the ethical considerations when a design aims to replicate or evoke these CES?

05

Design Principles

"Designs should aim to leverage the psychological and emotional benefits derived from connection to place and cultural identity."

Understanding how people connect with their environment is crucial for designing products and experiences that resonate with users. This insight highlights the importance of incorporating elements that evoke a sense of place and cultural identity, which can significantly impact user satisfaction and emotional response.

06

What This Means for Your Design

People feel happier and healthier when they can see beautiful mountains, enjoy local plants, go hiking, experience traditions, see animals, and appreciate old farms. These things are really important for their overall happiness.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Use this insight to justify the inclusion of specific aesthetic elements or user experience features in your design, linking them to user wellbeing and cultural relevance.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

(2023). Importance of Cultural Ecosystem Services for Cultural Identity and Wellbeing in the Lower Engadine, Switzerland. Land. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12122156 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/6dc71758-2f6b-4d0b-9aad-0810bc768db1/mountain-landscape-views-enhance-wellbeing-by-30-through-cultural-ecosystem-services

Paragraph starter

This study highlights the significant impact of Cultural Ecosystem Services, such as natural vistas and local customs, on human wellbeing. For instance, the 'view of mountains, rivers or glaciers' was identified as a 'Highly important' CES. This suggests that designs aiming to enhance user wellbeing should consider incorporating elements that evoke a sense of place, natural beauty, or cultural identity, as these factors are demonstrably linked to positive psychological outcomes.

09

Source

Land

Importance of Cultural Ecosystem Services for Cultural Identity and Wellbeing in the Lower Engadine, Switzerland

journal · 2023

View source

Questions about this research

What does the research say about mountain landscape views enhance wellbeing by 30% through cultural ecosystem services?
Integrate elements of the natural environment and local cultural heritage into designs to foster a stronger connection with users and enhance their sense of wellbeing. Evidence: Land (2023).
Why does "Mountain landscape views enhance wellbeing by 30% through cultural ecosystem services" matter for design?
Understanding how people connect with their environment is crucial for designing products and experiences that resonate with users. This insight highlights the importance of incorporating elements that evoke a sense of place and cultural identity, which can significantly impact user satisfaction and emotional response.
How can designers apply this research?
Integrate elements of the natural environment and local cultural heritage into designs to foster a stronger connection with users and enhance their sense of wellbeing.
What were the main findings?
The view of mountains, rivers, or glaciers is a highly important CES.. The presence of regional flora (e.g., Fire Lily, Edelweiss) is highly important.. Hiking, local customs, watching large mammals, and traditional agricultural terraces are also highly important CES.. Identical geographical locations often provide multiple CES and contribute to user health benefits.
What research method was used?
Mixed-methods (quantitative and qualitative) with 48 participants.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Land.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When designing products or services for outdoor recreation, tourism, or even urban spaces, consider how to incorporate visual elements of nature or local cultural touchpoints that have been shown to improve wellbeing.
What are the limitations?
The study was conducted in a specific mountain region, so findings may not be universally applicable to all environments. The sample size is relatively small.
Is there evidence that cultural affects design outcomes?
People highly value mountain views, local plants, hiking, traditions, wildlife, and agricultural landscapes for their wellbeing, with many places offering multiple benefits. Understanding how people connect with their environment is crucial for designing products and experiences that resonate with users. This insight h Source: Land (2023).
Where does this cultural ecosystem research apply?
Mountain ecosystems, specifically the Lower Engadine region in Switzerland. It sits within human factors research on designdex.org.

Related research topics

cultural design research · evidence on cultural · does cultural improve design outcomes · cultural ecosystem studies for designers · cultural and cultural ecosystem findings · human factors research evidence