Verification of Immersive Virtual Reality as a Streetscape Evaluation Method in Urban Residential Areas

In this paper, we verified the applicability of immersive VR technology to street-level residential landscape evaluation. We used GSV images taken from pedestrian paths in residential areas of Seoul and selected evaluation images through random sampling. Then, we conducted web-based and VR-based residential streetscape evaluation experiments with those landscape images. The VR-based streetscape evaluation results differed significantly from the web-based streetscape evaluation results. Our multi-level ordered logistic analysis confirmed that the VR-based streetscape evaluation method had better explanatory power than the web-based streetscape evaluation method. In the immersive VR-based streetscape evaluation index, the naturalness, beauty, and safety indicators had particularly high explanatory power. This study concluded that the VR-based streetscape evaluation method over the web-based method is more suitable for evaluating street scenes experienced in daily life. In addition, the innovative methodological approaches, including big data, virtual reality, and visual experiences, will also provide new insights for the planning and management of sustainable landscapes.