Measuring Visual Privacy: A Systematic Review of Evaluation Methods, Conceptual Definitions, and Design Strategies

Abstract

With the increasing density of modern cities, visual privacy has become a critical concern in urban communities. The need for privacy arises from religious and cultural beliefs, personal preferences, and security considerations. Urban planners and architects must develop effective strategies to ensure visual privacy in diverse urban settings. This paper aims to systematically review and analyze quantitative and qualitative measurement methods for visual privacy. This study conducted a systematic review of 199 articles retrieved from the Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases, covering publications up to April 2025. After applying relevance-based screening criteria, 51 articles were selected for in-depth analysis. The findings categorize visual privacy definitions into three domains: psychological, environmental-physical, and religious-cultural. Various qualitative and quantitative methods for measuring visual privacy have also been reviewed and introduced. Design strategies for enhancing visual privacy are also examined, focusing on urban fabric configurations, residential layouts, façade elements, and building materials in residential structures.