Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture

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An Exploratory Investigation of the Experience ofVisible Wind Turbines

Wind turbines are normally the largest structures in the landscape, yet little is known about how they are experienced. Most studies of wind turbines focus on their scenic impact and represent them using visualizations. However, scenic judgments of wind turbines by different viewers can be highly variable and require higher-order cognition. In addition, recent research has called into question the validity of using visualizations to assess very large structures, such as wind turbines. This study explores the more intuitive perceptions of wind turbines, specifically the sense of looming and visual prominence of 35 individual turbines and the sense of looming and the feeling of being surrounded by wind farm turbines at nine viewpoints. Changes in scenic quality and fit with the landscape prior to the wind farms are also rated. The results show that the more intuitive perceptions have higher reliability. These perceptions are affected by turbine exposure, proximity, and extent, which can be represented by physical measures such as distance and the arc of the project around a viewpoint.

Autor / Author: Palmer, James F.; Hoen, Ben; Garrity, Christopher
Institution / Institution: Scenic Quality Consultants, Burlington, Vermont/USA & SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry, Syracuse, New York/USA; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California/USA; US Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia/USA
Seitenzahl / Pages: 12
Sprache / Language: Englisch
Veröffentlichung / Publication: JoDLA – Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture, 11-2026
Tagung / Conference: Digital Landscape Architecture 2026 – Cutting Edge
Veranstaltungsort, -datum / Venue, Date: University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland 28-05-26 - 29-05-26
Schlüsselwörter (de):
Keywords (en): Visual impact, visual prominence, sense of looming, feeling surrounded, exposure, proximity, extent
Paper review type: Full Paper Review
DOI: doi:10.14627/537770086
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