Guided reading and comprehension, October 23rd

[Task 2_October23_Group_01]

QUESTIONS

Kevin Lynch, The image of the city (1960): The image of the environment

1. Explain the relevance of legibility and visual perception of the city in the theory by
Lynch.

2. Why environmental images are relevant to the relationship between the observer
and the environment? What are the features of public images?

3. What are the three key components to analyse an environmental image?

4. Define the concept of imageability and explain how it can be expressed in the city.

5. How visual elements can be used by the urban designer?

Gordon Cullen, The Concise Townscape (1961): Introduction + Introduction to 1971

edition

1. According to Cullen, what are the main advantages of living as a community / in a

composition of buildings in the city?

2. Can urban design be defined as the art of relationship? Explain the concept, and the
relevance of manipulation in the process.

3. What are the limits of the scientific research and solutions?

4. Why is vision important? Shortly define its three impacts on serial vision, sense of
position and sense of place.

5. Can you find a point in common with the theory of Sitte?

 Kevin Lynch, The image of the city (1960): The image of the environment

1. Explain the relevance of legibility and visual perception of the city in the theory by
Lynch ?

By this we mean the ease with which its parts can be recognised and can be organised
into a coherent pattern. So a legible city would be one whose districts or landmarks or
pathways are easily identifiable and are easily grouped into an over-all pattern.

We must consider not just the city as a thing in itself, but the city being perceived by its
inhabitants.

Cues used for identifying the environment: The visual sensation of colour, Shape,
motion, or polarisation of light, sense of gravity, and perhaps of electric or magnetic
fields.

2. Why environmental images are relevant to the relationship between the observer
and the environment? What are the features of public images?

A good environmental image gives its possessor an important sense of emotional

security. He can establish an harmonious relationship between himself and the outside
world. This is the observe of the fear that comes with disorientation; it means that the
sweet sense of home is strongest when home is not only familiar but distinctive as well.

Indeed, a distinctive and legible environment not only offers security but also
heightens the potential depth and intensity of human experience. Although life is far
from impossible in the visual chaos of the modern city, the same daily action could take
on new meaning if carried out in a more vivid setting.

3. What are the three key components to analyse an environmental image?

An environmental image may be analyzed into three components: identity, structure,

and meaning.

A workable image requires first the identification of an object, which implies its
distinction from other things, its recognition as a separable entity. Second, the image
must include the spatial or pattern relation of the object to the observer and to other
objects. Finally, this object must have some meaning for the observer, whether practical
or emotional
4. Define the concept of imageability and explain how it can be expressed in the city.

The quality in a physical object which gives it a high probability of evoking a strong
image in any given observer. It is that shape, color, or arrangement which facilitates the
making of vividly identified powerfully structured, highly useful mental images of the
environment. It might also be called legibility, or perhaps visibility in a heightened
sense, where objects are not only able to be seen, but are presented sharply and
intensely to the senses. A highly imageable city in this peculiar sense would seem well
formed, distinct, remarkable; it would invite the eye and the ear to greater attention
and participation. The observer would be well oriented, and he could move easily in
the city and be highly aware of his environment. For example, the city of Venice can be
such a highly imageable environment.

5. How visual elements can be used by the urban designer?

Since image development is a two-way process between observer and observed, it is

possible to strengthen the image either by symbolic devices, by the retraining of the
perceiver, or by reshaping one’s surroundings.

Our thesis is that we are now able to develop our image of the environment by
operation on the external physical shape as well as by an internal learning process.

In "The Image of the City" by Kevin Lynch, visual elements are crucial tools for urban
designers in creating more navigable and legible cities. Key concepts from Lynch's
work include:

A. Paths: Designing clear and continuous pathways for easy movement.

B. Nodes: Creating attractive focal points within the city.
C. Edges: Defining boundaries to separate different areas.
D. Districts: Developing unique, character-filled zones.
E. Landmarks: Using prominent features for orientation.
F. Paths with an "Image": Enhancing memorable routes.
G. Visual Continuity: Maintaining consistent design elements.
H. Accessibility and Legibility: Ensuring information is easily visible.
I. Adaptation to Change: Designing for flexibility and growth.
Gordon Cullen, The Concise Townscape (1961): Introduction + Introduction to 1971

1. According to Cullen, what are the main advantages of living as a community / in a

composition of buildings in the city?

A single family living in the country can scarcely hope to drop into a theatre, have a
meal out or browse in a library, whereas the same family living in a town can enjoy
these amenities. The little money one family can afford is multiplied by thousands and
so a collective amenity is made possible. A city is more than the sum of its inhabitants.
It has the power to generate a surplus of amenities, which is one reason why people
like to live in a community rather than in isolation.

2. Can urban design be defined as the art of relationship? Explain the concept, and
the relevance of manipulation in the process?

3. What are the limits of the scientific research and solutions?

There is an art of relationship just as there is an art of architecture. Its purpose is to take
all the elements that go to create the environment: buildings, trees, nature, water,
traffic, advertisements and so on, and to weave them together in such a way that
drama is released. For a city is a dramatic event in the environment. Look at the
research that is put into making a city work: demographers, sociologists, engineers,
traffic experts; all co-operating to form the myriad factors into a workable, viable and
healthy organization. It is a tremendous human undertaking.

We must rid ourselves of the thought that the excitement and drama that we seek can
be born automatically out of the scientific research and solutions arrived at by the
technical man. We naturally accept these solutions but are not entirely bound by them.
In fact, we cannot be entirely bound by them because the scientific solution is based
on the best that can be made of the average: of averages of human behavior, averages
of weather, factors of safety and so on. And these averages do not give an inevitable
result for any problem.

Manipulation in this process means that we can get no further help from the scientific
attitude and that we must therefore turn to other values and other standards. We turn
into the faculty of sight, for it is almost entirely through vision that the environment is
apprehended.
4. Why is vision important? Shortly define its three impacts on serial vision, sense of
position and sense of place?

Vision evokes our memories and experiences, those responsive emotions inside us
which have the power to disturb the mind when aroused. It produces emotional
reactions with or without volition.

Serial vision: To manipulate the elements of the town so that an impact on the
emotions is achieved. A long straight road has little impact because the initial view is
soon digested and becomes monotonous. Although from a scientific or commercial
point of view the town may be a unity, from our optical viewpoint we have split it into
two elements : The Existing View and the Emerging View. In the normal way this is an
accidental chain of events and whatever significance may arise out of the linking of
views will be fortuitous.

Concerning Place: Reactions to the position of our body in its environment. This is as
simple as it appears to be. It means for instance, that when you go into a room you
utter to yourself the unspoken words “I am outside it”, “I am entering it”, “I am in the
middle of it”. At this level of consciousness, we are dealing with a range of experience
stemming from the major impacts of exposure and enclosure.

5. Can you find a point in common with the theory of Sitte?

It is comprehended that both writers (Sitte and Cullen) have a strong interest in
considering the visual effects of the city to end up designing a rich visual and cultural
city rather than a pure functional and utilitarian. They both wanted to put themselves
into the shoes of the user and to make a drama out of the city, involving the users into
a kind of story telling approach which can avoid the boringness of regular grid design
of modern cities.