Emotional assessment of media facades in urban environments: a structural equation modelling approach

This study examines the emotional responses to media facades in urban environments through a comprehensive assessment framework using structural equation modelling. Ten representative cases (five from Wuhan, China, and five international) were selected for evaluation. Based on a comprehensive indicator system developed for this study, a mixed-methods approach was conducted in Wuhan, with data collected from 100 participants through a questionnaire combined with the PAD (Pleasure–Arousal–Dominance) emotional model. The results revealed significant relationships among three main constructs, where environmental information characteristics served as a mediating variable between physical-technical characteristics and emotional experience, with information readability emerging as the strongest predictor of emotional responses. The model validation challenged conventional design approaches prioritizing technical specifications, highlighting instead the importance of information clarity and environmental integration. This addresses a gap in understanding how these architectural elements influence emotions, moving beyond technical and visual evaluations and offering insights for user-centred design in media facade implementation.