Correlation Between Visible Landscape Elements and Locals’ Spatial Preference in Historical District Public Open Spaces via VR-Based EEG Measurement: A Case Study of Quanzhou

Public open spaces (POSs) are key assets in renovating traditional residential areas, and many studies examine how their commercial attributes shape spatial cognition and consumer behavior to encourage activity and boost local consumption. However, there is a lack of response to the emotional feedback needs of locals in the renovation of public open spaces in historic communities. To fill this gap, this study proposes a VR-based multimodal perception assessment framework integrating immersive virtual reality (VR) experiments, electroencephalography (EEG) measurements, and AI-based landscape image segmentation to investigate how built environmental elements in public open spaces influence the spatial preferences and psychological responses of local residents within Quanzhou historic communities. By integrating EEG data with Likert-scale preference evaluations, it investigates how varying characteristics of visible landscape elements within POSs influence residents’ psychological responses. The results reveal that locally distinctive vegetation and heritage architectural remains in historical district public open spaces (HDPOSs) are positively correlated with relaxation and negatively correlated with attention levels. It is worth noting that recently designed or renovated spaces with preserved old vegetation are more popular and cause higher levels of relaxation among locals compared to more contemporary built-up areas, highlighting their cultural and ecological importance in urban settings. This study advances the fields of urban planning and historical preservation by advocating for the integration of local preferences and historical elements into POS design to foster community well-being and ensure cultural continuity.