Short answer
When designing public green spaces, focus not only on functionality and ecological benefits but also on creating visually appealing and perceptually positive environments to maximize their recreational and sustainable impact.
- Field
- Classic Design
- Source
- Heliyon (2025)
- Method
- Systematic Review and Content Analysis
- Sample
- 130 publications
- Evidence
- Strong effect
The aesthetic and perceptual qualities of green spaces, alongside functional aspects like accessibility and safety, are crucial for maximizing their recreational value and contributing to urban and rural sustainability. This classic design research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Heliyon. Using Systematic review and content analysis with 130 publications, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing public green spaces, focus not only on functionality and ecological benefits but also on creating visually appealing and perceptually positive environments to maximize their recreational and sustainable impact.
Aesthetic and Perceptual Qualities of Green Spaces Significantly Enhance Recreational Value and Sustainability
The aesthetic and perceptual qualities of green spaces, alongside functional aspects like accessibility and safety, are crucial for maximizing their recreational value and contributing to urban and rural sustainability.
Heliyon · 2025
Key Findings
- 01Aesthetic value is a significant factor in the recreational utility of green spaces.
- 02Perceptual value, encompassing feelings and impressions, strongly influences user engagement.
- 03A holistic evaluation framework for green spaces should include 14 distinct qualities, such as accessibility, connectedness, responsiveness, variety of activity, social interactions, facilities, safety and security, spaciousness, biodiversity, perceptual value, aesthetic value, and symbolic value.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing public green spaces, focus not only on functionality and ecological benefits but also on creating visually appealing and perceptually positive environments to maximize their recreational and sustainable impact.
How to apply
When designing a park or public garden, conduct user surveys or focus groups to understand aesthetic preferences and perceptual values, and integrate these findings into the design concept and material selection.
Project actions
- 01Consider how users will visually experience and emotionally connect with your design.
- 02Think about the sensory aspects of your design beyond just its primary function.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Comprehensive review of a large body of literature.
- +Development of a holistic framework encompassing multiple dimensions of green space value.
Limitations
It can be challenging to objectively measure aesthetic and perceptual values, as they are subjective.
Reliability & validity
The systematic review methodology enhances reliability, while the inclusion of diverse qualities aims for construct validity in evaluating green spaces.
Think critically
To what extent can subjective aesthetic preferences be universally applied in the design of public green spaces, considering diverse cultural backgrounds?
Design Principles
"The perceived and aesthetic qualities of a space are integral to its functional success and user engagement."
Understanding the holistic value of public green spaces goes beyond mere ecological function. Designers and urban planners must consider how the visual appeal, sensory experience, and perceived qualities of these spaces directly impact their use and contribution to community well-being and sustainable development.
What This Means for Your Design
Making parks look nice and feel good to be in makes them better for people and the environment.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use the identified qualities (aesthetic, perceptual, etc.) as criteria for evaluating existing designs or informing the development of new design concepts.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The research by Ghavimi et al. (2025) emphasizes that the aesthetic and perceptual qualities of public green spaces are critical determinants of their recreational value and contribution to sustainability. This suggests that design projects aiming to create effective public spaces should actively incorporate user perceptions and aesthetic considerations into their evaluation and development processes.
Source
Heliyon
A framework to evaluate public green spaces with an emphasis on recreational values for sustainable urban and rural areas: A systematic review and content analysis
journal · 2025
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about aesthetic and perceptual qualities of green spaces significantly enhance recreational value and sustainability?
- When designing public green spaces, focus not only on functionality and ecological benefits but also on creating visually appealing and perceptually positive environments to maximize their recreational and sustainable impact. Evidence: Heliyon (2025).
- Why does "Aesthetic and Perceptual Qualities of Green Spaces Significantly Enhance Recreational Value and Sustainability" matter for design?
- Understanding the holistic value of public green spaces goes beyond mere ecological function. Designers and urban planners must consider how the visual appeal, sensory experience, and perceived qualities of these spaces directly impact their use and contribution to community well-being and sustainable development.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing public green spaces, focus not only on functionality and ecological benefits but also on creating visually appealing and perceptually positive environments to maximize their recreational and sustainable impact.
- What were the main findings?
- Aesthetic value is a significant factor in the recreational utility of green spaces.. Perceptual value, encompassing feelings and impressions, strongly influences user engagement.. A holistic evaluation framework for green spaces should include 14 distinct qualities, such as accessibility, connectedness, responsiveness, variety of activity, social interactions, facilities, safety and security, spaciousness, biodiversity, perceptual value, aesthetic value, and symbolic value.
- What research method was used?
- Systematic Review and Content Analysis with 130 publications.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from Heliyon.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing a park or public garden, conduct user surveys or focus groups to understand aesthetic preferences and perceptual values, and integrate these findings into the design concept and material selection.
- What are the limitations?
- The framework's applicability may vary across different cultural contexts and specific types of green spaces.