BOOK REVIEW: IMAGE OF THE CITY
Theory of Kelvin Lynch
Using three disparate cities as examples
(Boston, Jersey City, and Los Angeles),
Lynch reported that users understood their
surroundings in consistent and predictable
ways, forming mental maps with five
INTRODUCTION elements:
•Image of the city is a book written by Kevin •PATHS CONCEPT OF IMAGEABILITY
•
Andrew Lynch a well known city planner and EDGES Another term introduced by Lynch, is the quality of physical object, which gives a
designer, graduated from MIT •DISTRICT observer a strong vivid image.
( Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and •NODE Well formed city is highly dependent upon the elements because, that would make
a professor there after. •LANDMARK the viewers their city imageable.
•Lynch describes a five year study in his In the same book Lynch also coined the City should be easily recognizable.
famous book „Image of the City‟, that reveals words "imageability" and "wayfinding". E.g: Well designed paths include special lighting, clarity of direction, etc.
about, what elements in a built structure of a Image of the City has had important and Similarly with nodes, landmarks, districts, edges.
city are important in the perception of the durable influence in the fields of urban These elements placed in good form, increase human ability to see and remember
city. planning and environmental psychology. patterns and it is these patterns which make easier to learn.
Five key physical elements of the city 3.Districts: are the medium to large parts of the city which share the same characteristics
Style - spatial form, topography- colors- texture, urban fabric.
1.Paths : Paths are the channels along which observers move (streets, transit
Districts may have Clear edges, or soft uncertain ones gradually fading away into surrounding
lines, canals, etc.).
areas.
•paths are the most important elements in people’s images.
•Other elements are arranged and along them. •Districts are the medium-to-large sections of the city which the observer mentally enters
•Unclear paths = unclear city image "inside of," and which are recognizable as having some common, identifying character.
Paths are the channels along which the observer moves. They may be streets, - Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City
walkways, transit lines, canals, railroads.
-Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City. 4.Nodes: Strategic points in the city that: • the user can enter it • be directed to many
destinations
• it can be gathering places or intersection of paths, or places for activities .
2. Edges : Edges are linear elements that form boundaries between areas or
linear breaks in continuity (e.g. shores, railway cuts, walls). Nodes are points, the strategic spots in a city into which an observer can enter, and which
•The strongest edges are continuous in form, and often impenetrable to cross are the intensive foci to and from which he is traveling. They may be primarily junctions or
movement. concentrations.
•Types of edges – natural and manmade. - Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City
•Difference between path and edge Paths Direct the motion to specific
direction Edges * Prevent motion in specific direction 5.Land marks : A physical element with UNIQUE AND SPECIAL visual features that has a
Edges are the linear elements not used as paths by the observer. They are the "point-specific” location, and can be identified from the distance
boundaries and linear breaks in continuity: shores, railroad cuts, edges of Landmarks are another type of point-reference, but in this case the observer does not enter
development, walls. within them, they are external. They are usually a rather simply defined physical object:
- Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City building, sign, store, or mountain.
- Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City
BOOK REVIEW:
IMAGE OF THE CITY
BY – ANOOP
ANCHAL
HARSHIT
HARDIK
KANIKA
SAUMYA
SAMRAT
4-A
BOOK REVIEW: IMAGE OF THE CITY
CONCEPT OF IMAGEABILITY
Another term introduced by Lynch, is the quality of physical object, which gives
a observer a strong vivid image.
Well formed city is highly dependent upon the elements because, that would
make the viewers their city imageable.
City should be easily recognizable.
E.g: Well designed paths include special lighting, clarity of direction, etc.
Similarly with nodes, landmarks, districts, edges.
These elements placed in good form, increase human ability to see and
INTRODUCTION remember patterns and it is these patterns which make easier to learn.
•Image of the city is a book written by Kevin Andrew Lynch a well Theory of Kelvin Lynch
known city planner and designer, graduated from MIT
( Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and a professor there
Using three disparate cities as examples (Boston, Jersey City, and Los Angeles),
after. Lynch reported that users understood their surroundings in consistent and
•Lynch describes a five year study in his famous book „Image of predictable ways, forming mental maps with five elements:
the City‟, that reveals about, what elements in a built structure of a •PATHS
city are important in the perception of the city. •EDGES
•DISTRICT
•NODE
•LANDMARK
In the same book Lynch also coined the words "imageability" and "wayfinding".
Image of the City has had important and durable influence in the fields of urban
planning and environmental psychology.
Five key physical elements of the city
1.Paths : Paths are the channels along which
observers move (streets, transit lines, canals, etc.).
paths are the most important elements in people’s images.
Other elements are arranged and along them.
Unclear paths = unclear city image
Paths are the channels along which the observer moves.
They may be streets, walkways, transit lines, canals,
railroads.
-Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City.
Paths
2. Edges : Edges are linear elements that form
boundaries between areas or linear breaks in continuity (e.g.
shores, railway cuts, walls).
The strongest edges are continuous in form, and often
impenetrable to cross movement.
Types of edges – natural and manmade.
Difference between path and edge Paths Direct the motion to
specific direction Edges * Prevent motion in specific direction
Edges are the linear elements not used as paths by the
observer. They are the boundaries and linear breaks in
continuity: shores, railroad cuts, edges of development, walls.
- Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City
Edges
3.Districts: are the medium to large parts of the
city which share the same characteristics Style - spatial form,
topography- colors- texture, urban fabric.
•Districts may have Clear edges, or soft uncertain ones
gradually fading away into surrounding areas.
Districts are the medium-to-large sections of the city which
the observer mentally enters "inside of," and which are
recognizable as having some common, identifying character.
- Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City Districts
4.Nodes: Strategic points in the city that: • the user
can enter it
• be directed to many destinations
• it can be gathering places or intersection of paths, or places
for activities .
Nodes are points, the strategic spots in a city into which an
observer can enter, and which are the intensive foci to and Nodes
from which he is traveling. They may be primarily junctions or
concentrations.
- Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City
5.Land marks : A physical element with UNIQUE
AND SPECIAL visual features that has a "point-specific”
location, and can be identified from the distance
Landmarks are another type of point-reference, but in this
case the observer does not enter within them, they are Land marks
external. They are usually a rather simply defined physical
object: building, sign, store, or mountain.
- Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City
CONCLUSION
•WITH THE HELP OF STUDY OF THE CITIES BOSTON, LOS ANGLES AND JERSEY CITY KEVIN
LYNCH HAS FORMULATED WHAT CITY FORM ACTUALLY MEANS TO THE PEOPLE LIVING IN
THE CITY.
HE FORMULATED THE CRITERION ON IMAGIBILITY THAT CAN HELP A PLANNER TO MAKE
THE CITY MEMORABLE AND MAKE ITS IMAGE CLEAR TO THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE CITY.
IMAGE OF THE CITY CAN ACT AS A GUIDE TO A PLANNER FOR BUILDING AND REBUILDING OF
CITIES.
GIVING THE PLANNER AND ARCHITECTS METHODS TO EVALUATE A CITY FORM AND IMAGE
Jersey city Boston
Los Angeles
CONCLUSION
•WITH THE HELP OF STUDY OF THE CITIES BOSTON, LOS ANGLES AND JERSEY CITY KEVIN
LYNCH HAS FORMULATED WHAT CITY FORM ACTUALLY MEANS TO THE PEOPLE LIVING IN
THE CITY.
HE FORMULATED THE CRITERION ON IMAGIBILITY THAT CAN HELP A PLANNER TO MAKE
THE CITY MEMORABLE AND MAKE ITS IMAGE CLEAR TO THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE CITY.
IMAGE OF THE CITY CAN ACT AS A GUIDE TO A PLANNER FOR BUILDING AND REBUILDING OF
CITIES.
GIVING THE PLANNER AND ARCHITECTS METHODS TO EVALUATE A CITY FORM AND IMAGE
Jersey city Boston
Los Angeles
