An Integrated Framework for Architectural Visual Assessment: Validation of Visual Equilibrium Using Fractal Analysis and Subjective Perception

In recent decades, multiple approaches have emerged to assess architectural visual character, including fractal dimension analysis, visual equilibrium calculations, and visual preference surveys. However, the relationships among these methods and their alignment with subjective perception remain unclear. This study applies all three techniques to sample mosques in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to evaluate their validity and interconnections. Findings reveal a within-sample tendency toward low visual complexity, with fractal dimensions ranging from 1.2 to 1.547. Within this small, exploratory sample of five large main-road mosques in Riyadh, correlations between computed visual equilibrium and survey results provide preliminary, sample-specific convergent-validity evidence for Larrosa’s visual-forces method, rather than general validation. Within this sample, traditional façades with separate minarets tended to score as more visually balanced than more contemporary compositions. This triangulated approach offers an exploratory framework for architectural visual assessment that integrates objective metrics with human perception.