PART1
THE IMAGE OF THE CITY
- The image of the city refers to the
mental map that individuals
construct to navigate and make
sense of the urban environment.
The Elements of a City KEVIN LYNCH
1. PATHS
- Channels along which the observer
moves
- Predominant element for many
persons’ image of the city
- The other elements are arranged
and related through the use of paths
- Strong paths are:
 Easily identifiable
 Have continuity and
directional quality.
 Are aligned with a
larger system
2. NODES
- Points or strategic spots by which
an observer can enter.
- Intensive Foci of activity
- Junctions and concentrations
- Typically (but not always) formed
by an intersection of linear
elements as paths.
3. LANDMARK
- Point references external to the
observer.
- Simple physical elements that vary
widely in scale.
- Prominent physical features or
buildings that serve as reference
points and contribute to the city’s
identity.
TYPES OF LANDMARKS:
 Distant Landmarks: Prominent
points visible from many positions.
 Local Landmarks: Visible only in
restricted localities.
4. EDGES
- Linear elements not used or
considered as paths
- May be barriers or seams
- Not as dominant as paths but are
important organizing features of
the city
- Physical or visual boundaries that
define the city’s limits or separate
different areas within it.
Strong Edges are:
 Visually Prominent
 Continuous
 Impenetrable to cross movement
5. DISTRICTS
- Medium to large sections of a city
- An observer can mentally enter
“inside of” a district
- Recognizable as having some
common, identifying character
(e.g. activity and use, building
types and detail, inhabitants,
physical characteristics)
- Dominate depends upon the
individual and the given district
BUILDING THE IMAGE
TWO IMPORTANT ELEMENTS
1. Imageability – it is how easy It is
for a dialogue between the person
and the environment to build into a
good mental image.
1) Aids navigation
2) Helps make the en-
vironment feel like
“home”
3) Prevents feeling lost
4) Guides social Inter-
actions
“It is the quality in a Physical object which
gives it a higher probability of evoking a
strong image in any given observer” –
Kevin Lynch
2. Legibility – is the capability of the
object to be easily understood
and/or recognized
o Varies with environment
“The quality of a city’s physical
environment that makes it easy to navigate
and understand.” – Kevin Lynch
Concept of Imageability
 Another term introduced by Lynch,
is the quality of physical object,
which gives an observer a strong
vivid image.
 High imageable city on images is
meaningful.
 Remembering your city on images
is meaningful.
 Highly dependent upon the
elements
o E.g. Well designed paths
include special lighting,
clarity of direction, etc.
o Similarly with nodes,
landmarks, districts, edges.
o These elements placed in
good form, increase human
ability to see and remember
patterns and it is these
patterns which make easier
to learn.
 City image is important because
the ability to recognize objects in
our environment is critical to our
ability to act and function in places
effectively (Lynch 1981). Thus, the
ability of a city is somewhat
depending on its ability of a city is
somewhat depending on its ability
to be easily found and identified.
 Kevin Lynch made a connection
between Psychology and built
Environment.
KEVIN LYNCH (1918-1984)
 An American urban planner.
 He was the author of one of the
most influential books, “the image
of the city” 1960.
Lynch focuses on four main concepts,
correlated to a wide urban planning:
1. IMAGEABILITY: This refers to
the quality of a city’s physical
environment that makes it easily
recognizable and memorable.
Lynch identified five key elements
that Contribute to imageability:
paths, edges, districts, nodes, and
landmarks.
2. LEGIBILITY: This refers to the
ease with which a city’s physical
layout can be understood and
navigated. A legible city has a clear
and logical layout, with easily
identifiable landmarks, streets and
districts.
3. VITALITY: This refers to the
vibrancy and activity of a city,
including the diversity of its
inhabitants, the quality of its public
spaces, and the availability of
amenities and services.
4. SENSE OF PLACE: This refers to
the unique character and identity of
a city, including its history, culture,
and architecture. A strong sense of
place can foster a sense of
community and pride among its
inhabitants.
PATHWAYS
 STREETS
 PATH
 TRAIL
EDGE
 BOUNDARIES
  WALLS - Physical and visual permeability
 BUILDINGS depends on how the network of
 SHORELINES public space divides the
environment into blocks.
DISTRICT
 LARGE AREAS
 DISTRICT AREAS PERMEABILITY moves and connect
NODE - A desirable characteristic of a place
is the ease with which one can
 INTERSECTION
move through and get the other
 HUB
locations. Such places are therefore
 DECISION POINT
integrated physically or connected
 GATEWAY
to their surrounding areas.
LANDMARKS - Places must be accessible to people
to offer them choice
 IDENTIFIABLE OBJECT - Public and private access must be
 MEMORABLE PLACE complementary
 REFERENCE POINT
CAUSE OF THE DECLINE OF PUBLIC
PERMEABILITY:
PART2 1. Increasing scale of development
IAN BENTLEY’S 2. Use of hierarchal layouts
3. Pedestrian/vehicular segregation
“RESPONSIVE ENVIRONMENT”

A. SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT
 A responsive environment is a built - Developments which could
environment that can adapt to the function equally well if divided
changing needs and behaviors of its into smaller elements.
users and the changing conditions B. HIEARARCHAL LAYOUTS
of the surrounding environment. - Loss of direct connect/path
 The built environment should be C. SEGREAGATION
able to provide users with a - Separation of pedestrians and
democratic setting, enhancing the vehicles
degree of choice that are available
to them. VARIETY
 Once this is achieved the places are - Developers and planners are more
RESPONSIVE. concerned with economic
PERMEABILITY performance and easier
management, than with variety.
- Access = choice - Thus, the end-product is the
- The extent to which an modern zoned city, where choice
environment allows people a depends on mobility.
choice of access through it, from
place to place. VARIETY DEPENDS ON THREE MAIN
FACTORS:
  Range of activities
 Possibility of supply
 Extent to which design encourages
positive interactions

Variety also depends on feasibility:

o Economic, political, and functional

- Diversity ‘the spice of life’

- A successful place also offers a
mix of activities to the widest
range of possible users.

VARIETY – VITALITY
- Places that are vibrant, safe,
comfortable, varied, fun, and active
VITALITY exciting places
- Variety offers users a choice of
experiences

LEGIBILITY
- It is the quality which makes a
place graspable.
- Degree of choice depends on how
legible it is… how layout is
understood
- Elements that give perceptual
structure to the place should now
be brought into the design process.
- Important in two levels, its
PHYSICAL FORM AND
ACTIVITY PATTERNS.