The Concise Townscape

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Now and Then: Cullen understood that cities are dynamic and change over time, but also need a degree of consistency to provide a sense of coherence. In this shortened version, the studies of specific towns have been left outand instead Cullen has contributed a new foreword and conclusion which This is, I think, another of those things we take for granted now, that we should not. This includes a devastating, rather hilarious critique of what he calls prairie towns. More planning issues I haven't thought about enough, like street lighting -- so much that I did not know!

Gordon Cullen Archive: A Multimedia Case Study — SAHGB Gordon Cullen Archive: A Multimedia Case Study — SAHGB

suffice to demonstrate the charms ofthis immediacy. A somewhat similareffect is produced in those caseswhere a structure is separated fromthe viewer by a featureless plane,a great empty stretch which has nogrip on the eye, such as the view ofthe Horse Guards from St James'sPark or the view of the SupremeCourt in Chandigarh across thewide lake. Like many generations before them the architects of the modern movement had clear ideas of their perfect city. For most it was a city built from scratch, full of modernist towers and planned in zones—an area for work, another for play, another for housing. For most, it was also an ideal in which traffic was separated from pedestrians, a place of urban freeways and soaring overpasses. Reconstruction Urban CGI simulations let you ‘walk’ through an urban environment under a wide range of conditions, experiencing unlimited serial views as you navigate access routes. Our simulations are particularly useful for evaluating and refining wayfinding design and navigability, such as in the railway station example illustrated above. Digital simulations allow you to explore every little corner of your project – conducting a thorough serial vision analysis of each integrated space. This is particularly important for establishing safety and sightlines in areas that might otherwise be forgotten, such as ancillary stairwells and minor access routes. These Urban CGI examples depict lift and stairwell access within Hallam railway station, Melbourne, Australia, with the fritted glass partially screening views and reducing sunlight and glare. As you exit the stairwell at Hallam railway station, the sequence of views gradually unfolds, revealing the expansive outdoors. Our CGI simulation lets you visualise the transition from confined space towards the open landscape. A special use case: dynamic viewsheds – serial vision in motion This is the watetshed. Up to thispoint we have presented the environ­ment as occupied territory serving thelegitimate social and business needsof people and irrigated by trafficroutes. Now arises the natural corol­lary that if the outdoors is colonizedthen the people who do this willattempt to humanize the landscape injust the same way they already do forthe interiors. At this point we canfind little difference between the two,and the terms Indoor Landscape andOutdoor Room make sense. In thetop picture can be seen the patternedpavement (tloorscape) and arcade.Over this is a building in which aman lives whilst the vault of the skyspans over. To the right an avenueof trees leads out to the hills. Herein this picture of an interior is all thespatial quality of a landscape. Below,the diners are gathered togetherunder the ceiling lights and theHouses of Parliament sit on theperimeter like a model on the mantel­piece. An important application of our CGI technology is visualising a landscape or environment from a moving viewpoint, such as from within a vehicle. Unlike traditional viewshed analysis, which involves a fixed viewpoint, dynamic viewsheds represent the changing perspective of an observer in motion. [viii]

A Latin quarter for London

Punctuation: Distinct moments or pauses can be achieved in an urban environment through the careful placement of buildings, landmarks, open spaces, or other features. These elements add rhythm and clarity to the journey through a city or town, serving as visual punctuation marks, guiding the observer’s attention and breaking up the monotony. This can be achieved through contrast and comparison, juxtaposing differing elements, such as modulated façades and new buildings, adding visual impact and interest to the urban fabric. Examine what this means. Our original aim is to manipulate theelements of the town so that an impact on the emotions is achieved.A long straight road has little impact because the initial view is soondigested and becomes monotonous. The human mind reacts to a con­trast, to the difference between things, ann when two pictures (the streetand the courtyard) are in the mind at the same time, a vivid contrast isfelt and the town becomes visible in a deeper sense. It comes alivethrough the drama of juxtaposition. Unless this happens the town willslip past us featureless and inert.

The concise townscape : Cullen, Gordon, 1914- : Free Download

possession and possession in move­ment we find what may be termedviscosity, the formation of groupschatting, of slow window-shoppers,people selling newspapers, flowersand so on. The overhanging blinds,the space enclosed by the portico andthe meandering character of the streetprovide the proper setting which maybe compared to the picture below.Windswept and inhospitable, itemphasizes the segregation ofoutside and inside. Celebration of notable features or landmarks: By understanding how serial vision works, urban designers can integrate strategic placement of landmarks or focal points, helping with orientation and memorability. Using simulation for this task is important because we can only absorb limited information while moving at speed. Humans have selective visual attention, letting us focus on crucial aspects of a scene without becoming overwhelmed with irrelevant stimuli. Selective attention is particularly essential when driving at high speeds, where the inherent risk forces our temporal visual field to narrow. Improved navigation, legibility, and wayfinding: Legibility plays a vital role in urban design, aiding ‘readability’ and ensuring people can make sense of an environment. Legibility is enhanced by well-structured, easily identifiable spaces. Variety and contrast help (it is difficult to orient yourself when everything looks the same), as well as well-positioned wayfinding signage and navigational cues to orient the viewer. Wayfinding design is a critical part of planning infrastructure projects such as train stations, airports, hospitals, and other big campuses and precincts. the outdoor room and enclosureIn this section of the casebook weare concerned with the person's senseof position, his unspoken reaction tothe environment which might beexpressed as 'I am in IT or above ITor below IT, I am outside IT, I amenclosed or I am exposed'. TheseIn addition to introducing the concept of serial vision within his book, Townscape, Cullen discussed several design principles and concepts such as: the West Indies before becoming assistant editor of TheArchiuaural Review just after the Second World War. The Cullen was born in Calverley, Pudsey, near Leeds, Yorkshire, England. He studied architecture at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, the present day University of Westminster, and subsequently worked as a draughtsman in various architects' offices including that of Berthold Lubetkin and Tecton, but he never qualified or practised as an architect. In a town we do not normally have such a dramatic situation to mani­pulate but the principle still holds good. There is, for instance, a typicalemotional reaction to being below the general ground level and there isanother resulting from being above it. There is a reaction to beinghemmed in as in a tunnel and another to the wideness of the square. If,therefore, we design our towns from the point of view of the movingperson (pedestrian or car-borne) it is easy to see how the whole citybecomes a plastic experience, a journey through pressures and vacuums,a sequence of exposures and enclosures, of constraint and relief.