Human Needs and Urban Landscape Perception: A Bibliometric Review and Integrative Framework

Abstract

Urban green spaces play a vital role in ecological, psychological, and social well-being, and urban parks, as the most frequently accessed components of these spaces, are critical in enhancing users’ landscape experiences and overall welfare. However, within the context of urbanization, planning practices often prioritize spatial provision and functional configuration, while overlooking how users perceive and evaluate the landscape environment. Although research on urban landscape perception has grown, fragmented themes and inconsistent conceptualization limit knowledge integration. To overcome these limitations, this study applies bibliometric visualization and content analysis to review 515 Web of Science publications from 2005 to 2024, identifying a shift from physical and ecological attributes toward multisensory experience, emotional engagement, and cultural interpretation. Based on these insights, a comprehensive framework of landscape perception is proposed, together with future research and application directions. The framework strengthens evidence-based design and provides guidance for human-centered landscape planning in urbanizing cities.

Keywords: urban landscape perception; bibliometric review; multisensory experience; human-centred planning