Assessing the visual impact of physical features of tall buildings: Height, top, color

Considering their features, tall building are of high importance in the view of a city. Among their important features are height, top and color which are also some of the most important factors in their effectiveness. In the present study we assessed the effectiveness of these physical features in the overall visual impact of these tall buildings and determined the significance of each of these features in the visual impact of the tall buildings. To this end, we examined a tall building in the largest city of Iran (Tehran). We altered the physical features (its height, top, and color) of the building, providing nine images for each variable element. Combining these pictures, 27 trio pictures were eventually prepared and assessed by a sample of 384 people randomly selected from the population of Tehran. Then, the data were analyzed. The results indicated that height was the most effective factor in the eyes of the citizens, followed by top and, then, color with the least effect among the three factors. In a more thorough analysis of the interactive effect of the factors on each other, we reached the conclusion that height can affect the visual impact of top and color but top can only affect the visual impact of color and slightly the impact of height. However, the effect of color on the other two factors was insignificant. •We examined the effect of three physical features of high rise buildings on their visual impact.•Height, top, and color have different effects on the visual effects of high rise buildings.•Height has the greatest effect on the visual impact of top and color.•The effect of top on the visual impact of color is very significant and can even influence the visual effect of height.