Research on landscape quality of country parks in Beijing as based on visual and audible senses

Construction of Chinese country parks has been developing quickly in recent years, but less effort has been made in the field of esthetic quantitative evaluation of landscape of the country parks. Based on the theories of landscape esthetics and psychology, this paper constructs a landscape quality evaluation model for the country parks by means of SBE and SD methods, with which the authors of the paper carried out the research on and evaluation of the landscape quality of four selected country parks outside the Fifth Ring Road in Beijing. The purpose of this paper is to further put forward suggestions for a better development of the landscape of the four country parks in order to bring their landscape and recreation functions into full play. The findings of this paper indicate that both natural and artificial landscape characteristics exercise either positive or negative influences on landscape quality; among them the effect of vitality, color richness, senses of both joy and beauty are the key elements affecting the attraction of the country park's landscape. Country parks boast with special significance because of their localism, naturalness and tranquility. These advantages are fully shown in their sufficient space for waterscape construction and conspicuous effect on landscape as reflected from the green belts previously constructed. Nevertheless, three major problems existed in the country parks including insipid color, over artificialized parkways, and peripheral high-rise buildings in the nearby neighborhood that have also given rise to visual interference. Recommendations for relevant landscape construction and protection of the country parks are suggested.