Affective Engineering for Mud Wall Texture using Self-organizing Maps

Affective/Kansei engineering is used to analyze subjective responses to a streetscape plan for a historic townscape. The Chofu area in Shimonoseki was chosen for the research. The appearance of the streetscape is evaluated based on actual photographs using a traditional semantic differential method. Guidelines are often formulated to promote landscaping plans in historic towns; it is especially important to formulate color guidelines so as to unify the colors in an area undergoing change. The guidelines must be formulated according to regional requirements since color planning is strongly influenced by the local identity or brand. The affective engineering proposed in this study reveals representative design elements arising from the regional characteristics of the area and its people. The Chofu area is famous for its streetscapes of mud walls. The pilot investigation using a self-organizing map validated the evaluation of mud wall colors.