Exploring perceived restoration potential of urban green enclosure through immersive virtual environments

We examine the effects of green space enclosure on perceived restorativeness and perceived safety in two urban setting, and in turn, we explore the extent to which perceived safety mediates the casual pathways between enclosure and perceived restorativeness. Photorealistic 360o panoramas taken from a plaza and a park were digitally manipulated to create 18 immersive virtual environment (IVE) stimuli that depict variations of spatial arrangement and permeability of vegetation. Using a head-mounted display, 87 participants viewed the IVEs and rated each on perceived restorativeness and perceived safety. Anova results revealed a significant interaction between enclosure indicators and setting type. Spatial arrangement positively affected perceived restorativeness in urban plaza while in park setting, spatial arrangement and permeability inversely influenced both perceived restorativeness and safety. Perception of safety mediated the causal pathways between enclosure and perceived restorativeness with more pronounced effects in park setting.