Mental restorative effects of streetscape vegetation: Assessment of various design strategies using virtual environments

While numerous studies have explored the restorative effects of natural environments, a gap in our understanding remains regarding how design approaches influence urban nature, particularly streetscape vegetation. A virtual reality experiment was conducted to address this gap, aiming to assess the restorative potential of three distinct design elements within an urban environment: Accessibility (fenced or not), Arrangement (regular or random), and Diversity (high or low). The participants (N = 57) experienced eight conditions based on these three factors in two virtual environments. The evaluations were obtained via a self-report questionnaire based on three dimensions of subjective restoration. The results revealed that the conditions without fences, arranged randomly, and with higher diversity exhibited more significant restorative potential than their counterparts with fences, regular arrangements, and lower diversity. This study provides insight into the influence of design strategies on streetscape vegetation in enhancing restoration, underscoring the potential of virtual reality as a tool for assessing urban design alternatives.