Integration of People’s Perception of Landscape in the Design of Recreational Parks, Minna, Nigeria

Abstract

Recreation encompasses multidimensional activities that contain the exercises of physical, cognitive, emotional and social interaction. Studies have shown that people in Minna face many problems in outdoor recreational areas, including recreational parks. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate people’s perception of landscape in the design of a recreation park in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. The research method adopted by this study is quantitative in nature in which data obtained from the distributed of questionnaires were analysed. The parameters measured in this study included six perceptual categories (vegetation, open smooth, open coarse, rivers, agrarian, and structures) and the allocentric and autocentric perception modes. The sampling method adopted by this study is the Laddering technique where by data was collected in an unstructured manner based on a Means-end theory. Thus, the probability sampling technique was adopted as the sample technique for this study. It was discovered that the most desired landscape settings were structures, open smooth landscapes and water bodies and a statistical relationship exists between gender and the perception of these settings. Thus, it is recommended that recreational park designs should take into account not only the spacial qualities of landscape settings but also perceptual qualities so as to optimize the experience of people visiting recreational parks.