The image of productive landscapes: A method for the perceptual analysis of industrial heritage

The scope of this study is to present a methodology to assess the image of productive landscapes from a visual perceptual point of view. Rethinking the productive landscape is currently an urgent task for urban planners and landscape designers, but no dedicated technical tools are available to support its evaluation, design and communication. We argue that a detailed visual analysis of the physical environment is a fundamental preliminary work in order to catch the image of industrial heritage and envision new strategies for its re-use or re-qualification. Hence, we propose a methodology for assessing the qualitative and quantitative interpretation of the industrial heritage from a visual analysis perspective, taking into account the visual quality of the physical environment. The recording and the post processing of photography and videos represent the input data of this work. The application of this methodology was tested on an urban fringe characterized by anonymous productive boxes, which is a typical condition of metropolitan areas. The analysis aims at mapping the perceptual relevance of industrial buildings facing motorways. Results show that the methodology is easy to apply and, if automated, could support design and decision-making. Possible uses of the proposed methodology are the following: (i) the evaluation and communication of the current visual condition and imageability of the industrial heritage, (ii) the support for designing future conditions of buildings and, (iii) the re-evaluation and monitoring of future transformations.