Academia.eduAcademia.edu

OCULARCENTRISM OF URBAN STREETSCAPE

2018

Abstract

The research would consider the visual quality of urban streetscapes by studying the image of a street which is held by its users. It will concentrate especially on one particular visual quality: the apparent clarity or ‘legibility’ of the streetscape, with regard to the ease with which its parts can be recognized and can be organised into a coherent pattern. Although clarity and legibility is by no means the only important property of a beautiful streetscape, it is of special importance when considering the environments at the urban scale of size, time, and complexity. A good environment image gives the users a sense of emotional security. He can establish a harmonious relationship between himself and the city. This is the obverse of the fear that comes with disorientation and the chaos of the modern city life. This research is about the look of the streetscapes in a city, and whether this look is of any importance, and whether it can be changed. The urban streetscape, among its many roles, is also something to be seen, to be remembered, and to delight in. Giving visual form to the city’s streetscapes is a special kind of design problem.

Key takeaways

  • The research concludes the importance of developing urban environment with visual image, through directing urban planners and designers to the important role of streetscape in achieving development, in addition to identify the methods of application of legibility in streetscape.
  • The research is directed to answer the following question: -How should the different types of elements of streetscape be planned to create legibility in urban streetscapes?
  • Legibility in the streetscape is one of the most important strategies for creating a memorable urban design.
  • (2005,2013) to distinguish which specific streetscape features influence levels of pedestrian activity after controlling for the other D variables: A composite variable comprised of windows overlooking the street, continuous building facades forming a street wall, active street frontage, proportion of historic buildings, number of buildings with identifiers, and number of pieces of street furniture, prove to be highly significant.
  • Hence to establish a legible street the principle elements of legibility must be taken into consideration, as depicted in the table.