‘What do you see in the landscape?’: visibility analysis in the island landscape of Sifnos, Greece

Abstract

This paper attempts to quantify the visual impact that certain infrastructures and buildings have on Sifnos island, a small island located in the southwestern Cyclades. Quantification of the visual effects is based on the viewshed analysis through GIS. The main element of the visibility computation method, as adopted here, is the identification of those infrastructures and buildings that are considered actors with a ‘negative’ impact on the landscape. The analysis demonstrates that zones with varying impact on landscape can be identified. Investments with ‘negative’ impact on the landscape should be directed towards areas of restricted visibility, thus minimising landscape degradation.

Keywords

• Greece
• islands
• landscape
• Sifnos
• visibility analysis