B.

Arch – 4th Year – Semester VII

URBAN DESIGN

Lecture 03 – Visual Survey in Urban Design

Introduction of Visual Survey in Urban Design

 To understand the condition of a city, analysis is required, i.e. a

diagnosis of the city’s component, to see the relations between these
pieces and to assess their condition.

 Visual Survey in Urban Design is an examination of the urban form,

appearance and composition of a city. It is the process of evaluating its
assets and liabilities.

 Visual Survey enables us to understand where the city needs re-

shaping.

 Visual Survey can be done for any urban area regardless of its size /
scale – a neighborhood, city center, peri-urban area or a cluster of
buildings.
I. The Image of the City

 Each person constructs his own mental picture of the parts of the city in
physical relationship to one another. A collective picture of what people
extract from the physical reality of a city, the extracted picture is the
‘Image of the City’.

 Professor Kevin Lynch, in his book ‘The Image of the City’; describes
his findings from the study of mental mapping of physical reality of a
city.

 Five basic elements which people use to construct their mental image
of a city:

 Pathway, District, Edge, Node and Landmark.

I. The Image of the City

1. Pathway: The major and minor routes of circulation, which people use
to move about. A city has a network of major routes and a
neighbourhood network of minor routes. Ex. – highway, footpaths etc.

2. District: A city is composed of several neighbourhoods or districts,

which means an area with a specific use / function. Like a residential
neighbourhood / residential district or a CBD is a commercial district, a
college campus is an institutional district.

3. Edge: The termination of a district is called as its edge. Some districts

have no distinct edges at all but gradually taper off and blend into
another district. When two districts are joined at an edge, they form a
seam. A park may be a joining seam for two urban neighbourhoods.
I. The Image of the City
I. The Image of the City

4. Landmark: The prominent visual features of the city are its landmarks.
Some landmarks are very large and are seen at great distances, like the
Empire State Building, Manhattan or Eiffel Tower, Paris. Some
landmarks can be very small and can only be seen close up, like a street
clock, a fountain or a small statue in a park.
Landmarks are important elements of urban form as they help
people to orient themselves in the city and help identify an area or to
associate with an area.

5. Node: A node is the center of activity. Generally formed at the

intersection of two or more streets / roads / pathways. It is a type of
landmark, but is distinguished from a landmark by virtue of its active
function. Where a landmark is a distinct visual object, a node is a
distinct hub of activity. Times Square in New York City is both a
landmark and a node.
I. The Image of the City
I. The Image of the City

 These 5 elements of urban form are sufficient to make a useful visual

survey of the form of a city.

 The more ‘imageable’ a city, the easier it is to find one’s way about in it.

 While designing in an urban context or in any urban scale project; it is

important to consider how a new development will affect the whole
urban image, how the proposed change / transformation can be tied
visibly into a city’s path system, help reinforce a district or strengthen an
edge or maintain some continuity with the old being a seam. It can be
also a good landmark and an active node.
I. The Image of the City
II. Landform and Nature

 A city’s form is primarily dependent on the form of its land. Landform

indicates topography, on the basis of which the form of the terrain can
be flat, gently rolling, hilly, mountainous.

 Landscape feature: the orientation of cliffs, mountain peaks, ranges of

hills, rivers, lakes etc. - accenting landscape features, can be actively
used to create urban form or create vista / urban focus.

 Local flora, fauna, indigenous greenery – shape, size, character, seasonal

change, characteristic detail of the landscape, like native rock or gravel.
III. Local Climate

 Local climate should determine the character and appearance of the

landscape and urban form.

 Urban form should respond temperature, light, precipitation, sun, winds

etc.

 Example: Hilly areas have terrace like form to welcome more sunlight,
heat to get comfort in cold climate. Use of bay windows, dormer window
etc. is for the same reason.
Medieval cities in India like Ahmedabad, Bhopal etc. having narrow
street pattern to make the settlement compact, and restrict heat to
penetrate in the built form.
IV. Shape

 The overall shape of the city shows how the urban form is distributed in
a particular pattern.

 Types:
1. Radiocentric – a large circle with radial corridors of intense
development emanating from the center. Ex. – Ahmedabad.
2. Rectilinear – Radiocentric form with right angles, has two
corridors of intense development crossing at the center. Found
in small cities.
3. Star – Radiocentric form with open spaces between the
outreaching corridors of development. Ex. – Copenhagen,
Washington D.C.
4. Ring – City is built around a large open space. Ex. - Sun Francisco
Bay, Holland.
IV. Shape
IV. Shape

 Types:
5. Linear – Urban form is a result of terrain, which restricts growth
or the result of a transportation spine. Ex. – Stalingrad, Kolkata,
Mumbai.
6. Branch – A linear spine with connecting arms.
7. Sheet – A vast urban area with little or no articulation. Ex. – Los
Angeles, Tokyo.
8. Articulated Sheet – Sheet form, accented by one or more
central clusters and several sub-clusters.
9. Constellation – A series of nearly equal-size cities in close
proximity. Ex. – Cities of North Germany, Cities of Ohio.
10. Satellite – A constellation of cities around a main centre. Ex. –
NCR, Stockholm.
IV. Shape

 City’s functional efficiency mostly depends on its shape. It has

advantages and disadvantages related to circulation, proximity to open
spaces, articulation of neighbourhoods or districts.
V. Size & Density

 The shape of the city

evolves from its size
and density. The size
and density indicates
the distribution pattern
of people within the
city and the city’s
urban massing.

 The urban form of the

city is evolved from its
size and density.
V. Size & Density

 It may be found that the size of a no. of cities may be same, but the
overall urban form of them is different due to variation of density
figures.

 Size is the area of the city in sq. k.m. or sq. mt. or acres or hectors,
whereas density is expressed in no. of population per sq. k.m. of area /
no. of dwelling units per sq. k.m. of area / no. of households per sq. k.m.
of area.

 Density captures the relationship between built-up and open areas.

 Density has a strong link with transportation corridors and land value in
contemporary cities.
VI. Pattern, Grain & Texture

 The pattern of a city / any urban area is directly related with their
movement network / street layout and the articulation of the urban
blocks.

 Like – a hilly area has organic pattern having curvilinear streets,

Chandigarh has a rectilinear pattern, Mumbai / Kolkata having linear
pattern.

 An urban pattern is the geometry, regular or irregular, formed by routes,

open spaces and built structures.
VI. Pattern, Grain & Texture

 Grain is the degree of fineness or coarseness in an urban area, whereas

Texture is the degree of mixture of fine and coarse elements.

 Ex. – a suburban area with small houses on small plots has a fine grain
and a uniform texture. With small houses on varying size of plots it
would be having fine grain but an uneven texture.

 Ex. – In the city center / downtown area, large blocks with buildings of
varying sizes could be described as having a coarse grain and an uneven
texture. If those large buildings are uniform in size, they could be
described as having a coarse grain but an uniform texture.

 This is useful in evaluation of an area’s form and in making design

decision towards contextual response.
VI. Pattern, Grain & Texture
VII. Urban Spaces & Open Spaces

 Urban shape, pattern, grain, size, density, texture – primary aspects of

solid forms – generates the whole urban mass.

 In any urban area, the study does not only include the solid form, but
also the vast space in which the city exists – the open space – may be a
street, a park, a square etc.

 Two Types – 1) Urban Space – Formal in nature, molded by building

facades and the city’s floor and 2) Open Space – Informal / natural in
nature, representing nature brought into and around the city.
VII. Urban Spaces & Open Spaces
How to distinguish an Urban Space?

 Having predominant characteristics – quality of its enclosure, quality of

its detailed treatment or outfitting and the activity that occurs within it.
Any of these qualities, if sufficiently strong, can create a sense of urban
space.

 Ex. – a group of office buildings enclosing a plaza, a road intersection or

a particular place in the city functioning as a local important activity
area while possessing neither physical enclosure nor appropriate floor.
VII. Urban Spaces &
Open Spaces
How to distinguish an Urban
Space?

Urban spaces can be a linear

corridor like avenues or
streets, where it has enclosure
at both sides or have some
element of unifying character
– trees / uniform buildings.
Corridor spaces are for linear
movement and Island / Oasis
spaces are stopping places to
rest or pause.
VII. Urban Spaces & Open Spaces
 Scale is determined by trees, shrubs, rocks, ground surfaces instead of
width and length applied to measure any urban space.

 Appearance is characterized through the natural sight, rather that

surrounding built-form. Like – a vista (open space) to accentuate a
specific building of importance.

 In UD Survey, the entire open space

network within a city (location, type,
quality, accessibility, size w.r.t built space)
and their hierarchy needs to be studied to
identify the lack.
VIII. Movement Network
 Routes of movement are a principle determinant of urban form.

 The routes in the city peripheries are the first introduction to the
visitors, the major impression perceived by them while approaching the
city. Design is required to create visual interest using the terrain,
prominent natural features, artful dramatization of landscape features
etc.
VIII. Movement Network
 Approach Routes & Surface Arteries present cities to us. Must have way
finding, legible pattern, effective street furnishings and traffic
infrastructure.

 Local Streets present the intricate network of movement, where

vehicular as well as pedestrian traffic moves and stops. While doing
survey for an urban area, it is required to note the conflict points if any
arrived between vehicular and pedestrian movement, the crossings /
junctions – their conditions, safety, width w.r.t adjacent built space.
The design decision regarding relocation of any traffic, segregation
of traffic, improvement of intersection, enhancement of visual appearance
of them comes out of this survey.
IX. The Anatomy of Districts
 Every city consists of a series of parts, which are referred as districts /
enclaves / sectors / precincts / quarters etc., distinguished by their
dominant functions, activity and characteristic features.

 The pattern of districts is related to the pattern of routes, the size is

determined by the extent of distribution of a specific function / activity.

 Examples – City Centre, Central Business District (CBD), Downtown,

Uptown, Midtown, Waterfront, Lakeshore, Suburbs / Outskirts etc.

 Districts have principle components like – Size, Appearance, Activity,

Threats, Emergence, Relation.

 For visual survey of a district in an urban area, the aspects need to be

considered are: Form, Activity, Features, Paths, Centers, Intrusions,
Change, Improvement.
X. Activity Structure
 Places in cities have specific activity / functioned to be performed –
living, working, shopping, business, production, manufacturing,
traveling, leisure, recreation, learning, healing, spirituality etc.

 In visual survey, activity structure and pattern of a place needs to be

examined in relation to land use / building use / density, grain size,
movement network.
XI. Orientation
 If there is a logic behind the arrangement of parts of the city and that
arrangement is visibly evident, well-articulated, then the sense of
orientation will be strong. In absence of orientation, one can feel lost
within the city.

 Landmarks are a prime aid to orientation. Signage is the secondary tool

to create orientation.

 Improving sense of orientation in extremely necessary, where there are

many visitors / common people, like at an airport, downtown, civic
place, shopping areas etc.
XII. Details
 In visual survey of an urban area, it is important to note the appearance
of small details like pavement, native tree and plant species, doorways,
windows, signage, streetlamps, curbs, sitting spaces, wastebaskets,
fencing etc. (street furniture). All these characterize a specific area
within the city, contribute in place making.
XIII. Pedestrian Areas
 A large part of difficulty in our cities arises due to negligence in design of
pedestrian areas. Walking should be always featured as primary mode
of transportation to make a sustainable habitat. Thus, walking should be
promoted through design of urban areas and pedestrian areas should
be facilitated accordingly.

 In visual survey it is required to note the existing pedestrian

infrastructure – their conditions, locations, conflict points if any. The
sidewalk areas, the crossings, pause points, plaza / squares, park / open
spaces, transit stations / stops – need survey under this aspect.

 Size, location, sense of enclosure, scale, shading from sun, rain / snow,
paving, sitting / resting place, lights and signage, safety and security,
surveillance, minimal conflict with vehicular traffic, less interruption
etc. are the factors which promote walking and create a better
pedestrian area within cities.
XIV. Vista & Skyline
 Vista refers to the views into and out
of a city, which create a specific
image and identity for the city. Vista
at a city scale is important specially at
the point of approach, an area within
a city where specific buildings are
required to be highlighted.

 Vista is created by stretch of building

on either side of road while focusing
upon the central element
(foreground element) – structure /
landscape. Ex. – La Defense Business
District, Paris.
XIV. Vista & Skyline
 An urban skyline is its
collective vista, a single
visual phenomenon which
embraces the whole urban
form and image.

 The skyline can be created

by a single building /
landmark as well as a cluster
of buildings.
XV. Nonphysical Aspects
 There are several intangible
aspects, non-physical factors,
which contribute in place making,
generation of urban character.

 The non-physical aspects are

related with the cities' history,
culture, socio-economic status,
art, rituals, religious / political
practices of inhabitants.

 Architects and urban designers

need to protect such aspects in
design, facilitate spaces to
perform those practices in
design.
Linking Various Aspects of Visual Survey

 Assembling vocabulary of form elements into a coherent whole – from

Path, District, Edge, Landmark and Node (the skeletal elements of a city
form) – forming the personality of a city / an urban area.

 Hierarchy –
 Size – population & physical extent
 Shape – related to size, the physical outline in horizontal plan
form and vertical profile in relation to terrain / landform
 Pattern – evolved from size and shape, the underlying geometry
of city form
 Density – evolved from the above three, the intensity of use of
land by people or buildings.
 Texture & Grain – evolved from density, the degree of
homogeneity or heterogeneity of use by people or buildings.
Linking
Various
Aspects
of
Visual
Survey
Linking Various Aspects of Visual Survey

 Dominant Visible Activities – bustling urban centers are magnets of the

city, people are the generators, feeders are the links which connect the
two. If these activities exist in a sequential manner, they become
accents.

 Visible activity, road signs, store signs, building signs, symbolic objects –
clues to the organization of urban form.

 Visual experience is further enriched by Vistas.

Visual Survey Maps & Sketches
1) Topography
2) Microclimate
3) Shape
4) Patterns, Grain and Texture
5) Routes
6) Districts
7) Landmarks and Nodes
8) Open Spaces
9) Vistas
10) Magnets, Generators and Linkages
11) Activity Centers
12) Signs
13) Strong and Week areas of Orientation
14) Points of Conflict
15) Historic / Special District
16) Community Structure