Research on the evaluation of human settlement landscapes in lakeside traditional villages of Plateau Lake Regions— a case study of Dianchi Lake, Kunming

Abstract Amid rapid urbanization, traditional villages in plateau lake regions face the dual challenges of ecological degradation and deteriorating quality of human settlements. Grounded in human settlement science theory, this study employs the AHP-TOPSIS methodology to construct an evaluation system for human settlement landscapes. This system comprises four criterion layers–-Natural Ecological Environment, Village Composition, Regional Cultural Characteristics, and Psychological Perception along with 32 corresponding indicators. We applied this system to evaluate traditional villages along the shoreline of Dianchi Lake in Kunming empirically. The findings reveal a distinct "four-shore differentiation" pattern in regional landscape quality. Subsequently, four types of settlement landscapes are identified: "Eco-Friendly Type," "Village Function-Prominent Type," "Regional Cultural Vitality Type," and "Psychological Perception-Oriented Type," with corresponding optimization strategies proposed for each. This research provides quantitative analytical methods and practical solutions for landscape construction in traditional villages within plateau lake regions, while concurrently offering theoretical references and practical guidance for ecological conservation and the enhancement of human settlement quality in these areas.