Evaluation of perceptual image of large cities for infrastructural modification and its use as a guide for future town planning

The visual elements of a city play an important role in shaping the perceptual image of the city among its residents and visitors. However, with rapid urbanization in developing countries, issues have emerged that affect the formation of a clear image of the city, including transient and weak elements and a lack of integration among them. In Saudi Arabia, large cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam have recently witnessed rapid growth, with the likely consequences on their image. Despite the awareness of the importance of studying the image of cities among residents, it has been a neglected field for quite some time. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore how residents and visitors of large Saudi cities perceive the spatial elements and how important they consider the attributes of these elements towards forming a clear perceptual image. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey that was carried out in three Saudi cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. The statistical analysis, including hypothesis testing and ANOVA results show that a clear perception of the elements has the same trend as satisfaction with living in the cities under study. The results are validated by performing normality and homogeneity of the data. The clarity of the elements is found to be low in all the cities, but there are significant differences, and a strong pattern of such differences emerges as a conclusion. The research proves to be beneficial for the modification of the infrastructural planning and management flaws pointed out in the study and also it shall be helpful in town planning and design of new cities.