Environmental Image

Building The Image

Environmental image is the product of a two-way process between observer and his environment. The environment would suggest the distinction and relations; Observer with great adaptability would select, organize  and endows with the meaning, based on what he sees, what he senses, and what he feels. So, the image now developed is limited and emphasize on what is seen and perceived through the observer. However, due to different background and ways of observer perceived, the image could be different. Thus, the image of a given reality may vary significantly between different people. 

"Public Image" is the common mental pictures carried by large number's of city inhabitants: an area often expected to appear in the interaction of single physical reality (neighborhood), a common value, and a basic physiological nature.

Orientation

Orientation at the night, Paris

Orientation has been widely recognized when construct an image for an area. It could changing from culture to culture and landscape to landscape. Orientation can be the abstract and fixed directional systems, teh moving systems,, and those that directed to the person. It seems like a potential clues that most people would pick out to oriented themselves. For example, Eiffel Tower, Paris, KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, Penang Bridge, Pulau Pinang.

Structure, Identity, Meaning

An environmental image maybe analysed into three components : identity, structure, and meaning. A workable image requires first identification of an object, which implies its distinction from other things, its recognition as a separable entity. This is known as identity, not in the sense of equality with something else but with the meaning of unique, character, and individuality.

Second, the image must include the spatial or pattern relation of the object to the observer and to the other objects. The object must have some meaning for the observer either physical or emotional. For meaning, is not so easily influenced by the physical manipulation as are these other two components.  

Source: Kevin Lynch (1960) The Image of The City 

Urban Design 5 Elements

Paths  

It is actually refer to the familiar routes followed. They could be the streets, walkways, transit lines, canals, and railroads. Paths are functions as the major and minor routes of circulation that people use to move in/out. A city has a network of major routes and a neighborhood network of minor routes.

"..are the channels along which the observer customarily, occasionally, or potentially moves. They may be streets, walkways, transit lines, canals, railroads .." 

Edges

The perceived boundaries of a district is its edge. For instance, the shores, railroad, and walls. it is  the linear breaks in continuity, a dividing lines between districts. In general could be categorized into 5 types: Water Edges (Drainage), Fragmentary Edges (Landscape), Natural Elements (Mountain, Hills, Rivers), Overhead Edges and Elevated Edges (Staircases).

“..are the linear elements not used or considered as paths by the observer. They are boundaries between two phases, linear breaks in continuity: shores, railroad cuts, edges of development, walls ... " 

Districts

Areas with perceived internal homogeneity. A city is composed of neighborhoods or districts. District is a large part in the city, like area or neighborhood. They are recognizable as having some common identifying character.

“…are medium-to-large sections of the city, conceived of as having two-dimensional extent, which the observer mentally enters ‘inside of,’ and which are recognizable as having some common identifying character" 

Nodes

Centers of attraction /center of activity. It 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. Eg. the centre of district, intersection and focal point.



“…are points, the strategic spots in a city into which an observer can enter, and which are intensive foci to and from which he is traveling. They may be primary junctions, places of a break in transportation, a crossing or paths, from one structure to another..

Landmarks

Point of reference- prominent visual features of the city, but people cannot enter within them. Some landmarks are very large and seen at great distances, like Hilton Hotel in Alsancak. Some landmarks are very small (e.g. a tree within an urban square) and can only be seen close up, like a street clock at plaza. Landmarks help people to orient themselves in the city and help identify an area. Landmark, such as statue, high building, mountain, etc 

 

“…are another type of point-reference, but in this case the observer does not enter within them..They are usually a rather simply defined physical object: building, sign, store, or mountain".

Source: Kevin Lynch (1960) The Image Of the City

Heritage Buildings - Bring Life to Them

Heritage Is..

What is Heritage? Heritage is refer to cultural property, either tangible or intangible. (UNESCO, 1972) It can be a culture, can be a historical building, can be a monument, and it can be caves like Lenggong Valley, Perak as well. It is something like pass from one generation to next generation, they are our memories, they tell us where we come, where's our roots.

Conservation of buildings is related to the processes and efforts to maintain, repair, restore the heritage buildings in order to prolong the building life and its functions. To do so, it include rehabilitation and adaptive re-use. Rehabilitation is to make old buildings reusable, while adaptive re-use is likely changing the main function uses of buildings but maintaining their original forms and structure. 

Adaptive re-use..

Conservation of these historical buildings is important, especially Malaysia where full of local colors and cultures. However, in my point of view, conservation should based on the fundamental economic viability. 

There are many historical places been renovated and maintained become museums and beautiful nice places /  hot visitor's spots. All these are good efforts. For instance :-

St George's Anglican Church is the oldest Anglican church in Georgetown, Pulau Pinang

The Studhays in Melaka where once is government house now become a museum.

But I still think that the best way to prolong the life span of those historical buildings is that of adaptive reuse. --- Just like I mentioned above: modify the main functions and activities inside the buildings with original forms and structure. What I mean is just carried out the most routine activities in our daily life in those colonial buildings. For example, when you travel a colonial shop houses, you wish to see a well preserved and maintained shop lots but is like a static museum, although there might found some guides explains about the history and things happened before, but we just can't get the feeling. Or you more prefer to pass-by the colonial shop houses where local activities just like you are leading the local ordinary life, make us feel like back to that times? Have a cup of Kopi-O in cans under the strong historical colonial design buildings. I am pretty sure most of the people would choose the latter one.

Kopitiam.. Kopi-O.. Traditional feelings..

Below are some good examples found in Malaysia :

Central Market, 1888

Located along Jalan Hang Kasturi, a few minutes away from Petaling Street. Central Market was a wet market and now become a cultural center.

MATIC, Kuala Lumpur

In 1935, it once the residence of a wealthy miner, Eu Tong Seng. In 1941, it is war office of the British Army. Now, it become one-stop visitor center and offering a wide range of facilities and services to assist tourists in planning an enjoyable and eventful holiday in Malaysia.

Economic Viability..

Economic viability of a building depends on the use to which it can be put. For a building to function efficiently, it must not only be convenient to use but also capable of use at reasonable cost. Adaptive reuse of buildings is more economic not only in general terms like "conserved buildings" but  more practical and considerable from aspect of relative costs of old and new built space.

Adaptive re-use is likely bring a new life to these historical buildings. Without much interrupt our environment, we are taken care both built and natural environment instead. Why we have to built new and new shop houses and housings but why not just look on our beautiful existing heritage? Aren't they most represent us and local culture? Maybe some people might wondered: how if such historical buildings torn / vandalized when many people enter and go out? In fact, conservation of historical buildings or places not only local authorities efforts, but all the citizens who come from this community. Feel yourself like part of it : would you paint / graffiti on your house's wall?  No. Because you know that belongs to you. Same to these heritage. It take time to educate people, but it work.

Respect to the Nature

I always believed that everything in this world has their own values and proposes. Tree provide shade, beaches provide beautiful scenic view, as well serve as the habitat of marine animals. In urban planning, I also believed that each area in this world, no matter on the land or in the water, they also have their own special purpose and for certain single or multiple land use. What I am trying to emphasis is that we as human, whether your roles are developers, city planners, urban designer, citizens, or whatever parties; Before we explore or demolish or develop any places, we should respect the nature, and be response to its values.

Respect to the Nature

For example, sloping topography suggests terraced  structures; Lower ground usually has deep, moist, rich soils for vegetation. These are all planning and development that Respect to the Nature.

All living things are interdependent of one another. The slightest change in the environment can have a major impact on a whole living community. We depend on the landscape to provide us will oxygen, shelter, and food. If we disrupt the interdependence of the living things in their environments, then we can cause our own demise. Planners can help preserve the integrity of the natural and built landscape. Rather than looking at the landscape as a pretty picture, we need to look at it as a life supporting system. Because Earth, is the home of countless plant and animal communities including humans.

We see nature through an obscured eye looking for only our interests. Even there are so many theories and guidelines aids us, with all of our integrated knowledge, we should be able to create a paradise on earth. However, most probably we fail because we usually work against nature rather than with her.

Nature should be the beneficiary of our every project and plan. Earth and nature is the basic for our efforts when we planned for any development.

Does ‘harmony‘ imply that everything should blend together? No. In fact it is seems not to be out of place with the rest of the landscape, ―it is the happy result of an inspired design rather than the mistaken aim of an uninspired designer.

Landscape is dynamic; and is always changing. 

Constructed building and features create force in the landscape. Every time construction is imposed on a site, the landscape changes. Present projection predicts the population will double and double again within the next 100 years. During that time, stress will be on urban land will be incline. 

That’s why, the task of a planner or planning council is to prepare a guideline plan and the action program. It will define the types, locations, and the limits of development foreseen to produce the most desirable conditions for living and working. It also must account for natural features including forest, and farmland, open space, streets, parkways and etc. This will help produce an interconnection of activity centers and provide for a more stable community. Besides, the plan should adaptable, flexible to meet changing conditions and be constantly updated. farmlands, food production, freshwater reserves, and roadway capacities.

In the natural landscape, there is harmony or unity among all the natural elements in the surrounding. These natural elements could be rock formations, vegetation, flora and fauna. The unity of all these elements produces landscape character. The harmony complement from one to another create stronger landscape character.

Example of housing design that integrated with the natural landscape. - Respect to the Nature

A beautiful landscape that develops with wisdom, skill and taste can produce a noble and ennobling physical environment.

Reference:  Ian Mcharg (1969) Design With Nature