A participative approach towards modeling tranquility: A case study in Glarus, Switzerland

Tranquility is increasingly recognized as a cultural ecosystem service that contributes to human well-being, yet its meanings and spatial distribution remain underexplored in alpine contexts. This thesis investigates tranquility in the Swiss canton of Glarus. It addresses two central questions: (1) How do residents of Glarus define and perceive tranquility, and what characteristics contribute to tranquil places? (2) How do these perceptions align with a GIS-based tranquility model, comparing potential and experienced tranquility? While previous research has developed tranquility indices primarily in lowland or urban areas, this study applies a participatory approach to a rural alpine region and integrates qualitative insights into spatial modeling. Methodologically, it combines focus groups and a multi-criteria GIS model informed by the factors influencing tranquility from the groups. Results of the focus groups show that tranquility is strongly associated with natural features, such as water bodies, forests and mountain views, as well as sensory qualities like silence, fresh air and natural sounds. Anthropogenic features, including settlements, infrastructure and noise, were consistently described as disturbing, though participants also acknowledged tranquil experiences in proximity to human activity if other factors dominated. At the same time, tranquility emerged as a multi-faceted concept shaped not only by sensory impressions but also by emotions, states of mind, and place attachment, underscoring its relational and experiential dimensions. Findings reveal broad convergence between modeled and experienced tranquility in remote, natural areas, while divergences occur in pockets closer to infrastructure or settlements, where contrast effects allow tranquility to emerge despite disrupting factors. Ethical concerns, particularly the fear of touristification, highlight the need for careful communication and governance in the use of tranquility maps. By conceptualizing tranquility as a cultural ecosystem service, this thesis underscores both its value and fragility in alpine regions. It contributes methodological innovation by tailoring tranquility factors to the local context through participatory insights and translating them into spatial modeling, thereby providing a basis for more context-sensitive strategies to analyze and understand tranquility.