Landscape is gradually being considered an essential resource and, therefore, is a variable to be included in land planning and protection designations. A structured method of landscape assessment, which links descriptions, classification, analysis, and evaluation, will provide an integrated framework within which the problem of scenic impact from renewable energy sources can be debated and solved. Perceptual qualitative and quantitative data – such as road networks, land cover, satellite imagery, and aerial photography – can be used for site description and analysis or for 3D modeling and GIS-based visualization work. The case study in which our method was applied demonstrates the impact of wind turbines and wind farms, as well as their cumulative effects in Sierra de Pela (Soria and Guadalajara, Spain).

Immersive virtual reality allows showing people virtual environments with high levels of presence, realism, and “feeling of being”, as if they were in the real world. With this aim, virtual environments must provide proper light distributions and elicit sensations similar to those seen in the real world. So far, experiments with human subjects are the most effective way to evaluate the accuracy of virtual reality in reproducing real spaces. This paper investigates the role of subjective assessments in lighting research using virtual reality. According to the review results, the investigations aimed at using immersive virtual reality for lighting can mainly be divided into three groups: (i) comparison between virtual and physical environments, (ii) analysis of different lighting scenarios, and (iii) investigation of users’ interaction with the virtual model. On the one hand, the results show that immersive virtual reality is a useful tool for research and design in lighting. On the other hand, they highlight the limitations that still need to be overcome. Finally, the main findings and gaps concerning the subjective assessment were listed.

Los estudios sobre el Monasterio del Escorial se han centrado tradicionalmente en las cualidades arquitectónicas, formales y estilísticas del conjunto, evitando abordar el complejo e imprescindible sistema de infraestructuras construido para su servicio y sin el que no hubiera podido desarrollar las actividades religiosas, formativas y cortesanas para las que fue proyectado. Los requisitos funcionales de un conjunto tan importante hicieron necesaria la construcción de un gran número de obras como el abastecimiento de agua y el saneamiento, pero también ingenios como los molinos o caminos para facilitar el acceso y asegurar su abastecimiento. La presente investigación aborda el estudio de las infraestructuras del agua, construidas ininterrumpidamente desde del siglo XVI para dar servicio en un primer momento al conjunto monacal, y después a la propia población de San Lorenzo. Esta compleja red ha aportado al territorio y al paisaje un formidable conjunto de hitos aún desconocidos en su mayoríaPeer reviewe

El estudio de la construcción del territorio y del paisaje a diferentes escalas se ha basado tradicionalmente en fuentes documentales escritas, y en menor medida en las gráficas. Las fuentes cartográficas, junto a los cuadros, los dibujos, las fotografías y otras fuentes no verbales han sido frecuentemente relegadas o consideradas de una categoría inferior, muchas veces a causa de las dificultades de interpretación que pueden plantear, y a esto hay que añadir las dificultades inherentes a la localización y acceso a los fondos. El trabajo reivindica el territorio como patrimonio al mismo tiempo que aporta datos inéditos para la historia del puente de Alcántara mediante el análisis de mapas y planos históricos.

Green areas and parks are places where people’s quality of life improves, places of recreation and relaxation, in which to carry out various social activities. Among these, the historic gardens represent the union between green areas and historic architecture. Light is considered one of the main factors influencing the perception of such spaces at night; therefore, lighting solutions should be properly balanced. Immersive virtual reality is a tool that allows for lighting design management from different viewpoints. This study investigates how the lighting of a monumental garden affects people’s perception of its architecture at night. With this aim, a detailed 3D model of the western part of Escorial’s monumental complex in Spain was built in DIALux evo 11 and Unreal Engine 4.27 and used to propose six different lighting scenarios. Participants viewed the scenarios through a head-mounted display and provided subjective feedback on the perceived light strength of the environment and architecture. Results highlight that illuminating surrounding areas affects the environment and building perception, as well as the order in which elements capture observer attention. In particular, lit elements between the observer and the façade can reduce façade importance.