Rethinking Vertical Cities: The Influence of Public Perception on Design, Form, and Socio-Cultural Integration

Abstract

This study examines the multiple determinants of public satisfaction with high-rise urban forms in Muscat, Oman, in the context of rapid urbanization and the need to protect and conserve culture. Based on a conceptual framework that included six latent variables—Cultural Harmony, Economic Benefit, Environmental Experience, Social Perception, Urban Connectivity, and Visual Appeal—data collected from city residents were analyzed using the quantitative technique of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The model results showed that all relationships were supported, with Urban Connectivity, Cultural Harmony, and Visual Appeal having the strongest effects on satisfaction. These findings indicate that public satisfaction with high-rise developments is influenced by the perceived integration of infrastructure, harmony with local architectural traditions, and coherently attractive views. Environmental Experience, Social Perception, and Economic Benefit had smaller, though still significant, effects, confirming the multidimensional nature of urban appraisal. This study therefore calls for a development approach that balances technical, environmental, cultural and tourism-oriented objectives. As such, this work contributes to the existing literature on urban and societal studies by examining a multifaceted model of urban satisfaction and providing beneficial recommendations to enhance the continuing debate on sustainable and contextual urbanism in the Gulf states.