Sunday, January 27, 2013
Reading_2_Kevin Lynch – Image of the City_5 Elements_DueJan31
This reading is a bit longer and takes some time to go through, but you may be familiar with it or have read it in a previous class. It is a basic reading for urban design. Consider Kevin Lynch’s 5 elements and make sure you understand each element from the reading. Then use them to describe a place you know. For example, you would use each element, and then tell us where that element occurs in the place you are describing. It can be a neighborhood, a campus, a town, a city. Understand that all of these elements can be translated in scale. District in a city is clearly larger than district on the ttu campus, or in an area of a city. What’s most important about this assignment is that you consider the elements and consider how these apply to environments you have experienced. This enables you to become more aware of your surroundings and some basic urban vocabularies that apply.
Prof. Torres-MacDonald
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ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite directional paths to travel in Denver is from the Highlands into LoDo, across the city into Uptown. This path is very directional considering the dramatic impact from one direction as compared to another. Usually this path would start by crossing the Highlands Bridge over I-25 to Platte Street. This LoDo neighborhood is Bustling with mixed use, live- work, restaurants and a large residential complex. Proto’s Pizza, Brothers Bar, Sushi SaSa, Denver Beer Co. along with high-end local boutiques such as Metroboom, and Jebirish find a nice home along pedestrian friendly street. A Vitamin Cottage on the corner of 15th and a breakfast joint called Monas is landmarked by a large painted wall, attracting a normal yet daily motley crew. Not to mention the massive REI warehouse conversion situated along the river, all these spots line the city and act as individual nodes, making this neighborhood a vibrant corridor. This little neighborhood is full of nodes creating its own identity. Although this area is not technically Lodo because it is on the less urban side of the river, it falls under the blanket term, at a couple blocks reach. Thus, the area is self-proclaimed worthy of attracting the name Lodo or Lower Downtown. The name is subsequently derived from its proximity in elevation to the river, not direction.
ReplyDeletePlatte Street is a vibrant belt acting as a path and foreshadowing an edge along the river, ultimately forcing pedestrians to enter the city in dramatic fashion, either down 15th street past an art museum or through the park. This pocket district marks the entrance into the city. Once you cross a small Calatrava Footbridge from a well-maintained pedestrian corridor you will arrive at Commons Park. This is a bustling park during the day and well trafficked at night. Now that you have crossed the Platte, you are officially in the inner city. This edge condition does not create discontinuity but in a sense, identifies the inner city boundary. Once you are in Commons Park you will notice high-end towers, skate parks and the third and final Calatrava Bridge directly ahead, with a rising cityscape beyond. Once you cross over this third and final bridge you are officially in Lower Downtown. This area is bustling with restaurants and nightlife. You can take the 16th Street Tram down a pedestrian mall or walk. The entire street running the length of downtown is blocked from automobile traffic. You can ride the rail, almost to the state capital, finding yourself in Capitol Park, a well landmarked area identified by its large Corinthian colonnade. Then you can walk, ride or catch a cab to some famous Colfax landmarks such as The Ogden, The Fillmore or The Blue Bird. This area of town starts to resemble what residences refer to as uptown. I actually use to live right next to Cheeseman Park off Race Street in an older Uptown apartment building. My back yard was the park and the rooftop was to die for. Cheeseman Park is another obvious Uptown node and landmark due to its haunted history. This park acts as a community anchor helping to identify the uptown district.
Instead of getting crunchy on Colfax you might head north to the Ballpark district. The Ballpark District has a strong core or “node” activating a recognizable thematic gradient. The stadium creates an area just north of LoDo in Denver that has its own identity. There were no planned boundaries or edge conditions; this district just came as a result of urban development addressing specific social demands. I think this is a very good example of radiant node creating a district and overall a nice path to travel. Ultimately, my case in point is that some edge conditions blend and the intricacies of social behavior in a city are very complex. None of the districts are clearly defined because of their close proximity to one another but when you are familiar with a city, you somehow inherently always know where you’re at and where you’re going.
SBA
The image of my hometown, Tulsa, is an image that is unique to the state of Oklahoma. Depending on what part of the city you live in, the perception and image of daily life is varied. From the perspective of the town of Bixby just south of Tulsa, where my parents home is, the major Paths include Memorial Rd. This is the main artery to get you from home, on 141st and memorial, through the entire city of Tulsa to 1st and Memorial. The secondary paths such as 101st , 71st, 41st streets branch off of memorial and lead to other districts, nodes, and landmarks throughout the city.
ReplyDeleteThe most prominent natural edges within Tulsa are caused by rivers and creeks. The Arkansas River divides the city into the larger West Tulsa and the mostly residential East Tulsa. As the river bends traveling further south, it also splits the town of Bixby from being physically connected to the city of Tulsa although they are only a few feet apart. The Memorial Street Bridge is the only street that gives direct access into the city of Tulsa from Bixby. This historical bridge has been closed off to vehicular traffic, allowing people to walk back and forth along this path. A new street has been built parallel to the historical bridge for vehicular access.
There are many different identifiable districts throughout the city of Tulsa. Downtown Tulsa is the business district where many people commute to daily for work. Unfortunately, there are not many people who live in downtown and walk to work because of an ever increasing crime rate in this part of town. The arts district lies near Cherry Street. Here, there are many different coffee shops and small restaurants that welcome local artists and performers which help create a community atmosphere. The buildings here are mostly renovated warehouses painted in an eclectic style giving this district its own specific identity. Also in this area, are a few museums which house more famous artwork. The commercial shopping district is in mainly near 71st street. In this area lies the mall, several of the city’s most popular restaurants, and many other clothing stores.
Viewing a node as a point of entry, some of the most important node’s in the city are at the intersections between the different towns that surround Tulsa. The intersection of 71st and Mingo is the main point of entry from Tulsa into Broken Arrow. 71st and highway 75 is the main point of entry into east Tulsa and Sapulpa. 121st and Memorial marks the node which transitions one from Tulsa into Bixby. Among the several landmarks seen within the city are historical bridges, Oral Roberts University and the Praying Hands, and the ‘Tulsa Traveler’ Statue. There are casino’s and Native American sites that make a specific connection to Tulsa’s Native American history as well. These types of landmarks are useful for giving the city a distinct image and style.
Jessica Badoe
Kevin Lynch suggests that majority of the time all 5 elements: paths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks, almost always interplay and overlap one another which thus give one a "mental map" to the beholder. The idea then transitions over to the summation of understanding a city and how it operates as a whole, referred to as legibility. This is indeed true through my experiences as the following places I'm about to discuss.
ReplyDeleteLike the previous surveyors, paths has been the predominant element in which my understanding of a city is concrete. As a kid going to school in the generic yellow bus was always the norm. I lived in a small city by the name of Palmview, but my school was located in La Joya, roughly a 20 minute drive to and from my residence. Every day was same route but it was precisely this routine that had me accustomed to getting to know my city well as I matured. The main path was an expressway, but of course it branched out through many exits which then led other minor routes of transportation throughout the Rio Grande Valley. I'd always also pay close attention to the bus stops in which others had reached their own drop-off destination which further increased my understanding of the detailed street orientation that connected back through a main street such as "Minnesota road" which then fluidly fused back in the expressway (expressway 83).
My understanding of districts is in the literal sense.
Palmview is well on its way towards becoming and urban cityscape. Further down south, about a 40 minute drive, the city transitions to La Grulla,Tx. But during this gap in distance, districts change and a sudden change in cityscape changes from urban to rural. About 25 minutes into the drive a sign that says "now entering Hidalgo district" appears and in almost an instant I noticed the change in environment. There was no longer a congestion of residential houses and hardly any paths that penetrated the rural horizon.
South Padre Island, Texas is indeed literally edged by the shoreline and is separated from the previous city, Port Isabel and its only means of a true path is the bridge connecting Port Isabel to SPI. Edges are distinctively noticed in this area. Whenever I'd find myself sitting by the shoreline in the sands of South Padre Island I notice there is a clear break in linear continuity from land to sea. Moreover, behind me are many structured condominiums and restaurants that follow the shoreline extensively, this also gives a sense of barrier as it is consistent with the linear layout of SPI.
In the midst of Downtown McAllen, Texas, which consists of many paths in a grid like fashion, lies the Greyhound Bus Station. It is situated on the corner of old 83 and 7th street. This is a type of Node in which I've experienced when I was awaiting the arrival of a family member. This is indeed a congested center of activity. It has also become a place of social interaction due to the close proximity of Archer Park. Its consistent act of function throughout the day is clearly recognizable through the populations use of it.
Through the utilization of paths I was able to figure out the prominent features a cityscape had to offer thus led to what I personally considered landmarks. The immediate image I conceive when I think about my experience in Paris, France is of course the Eiffel Tower constructed by Gustave. From the main axis starting from ecole Militaire, I could see the landmark's uninterrupted image in the defined urban context. Of course I'm sure this landmark is used by many tourists as well, its whats given them their interpretation of the image of the city.
-Martin Gonzalez
A place that fits into the five elements, would be a place that I grew up in, which is Plano, Texas. Plano has a layout that can be considered a grid. With its paths or major streets running in coordinate directions. The major streets in Plano are able to lead you into the right direction of something that you want to go to. An edge in Plano, is almost a literal path that people do not see as its edge. Unlike living in Lubbock where Loop 289 is the edge of the town even though it goes past. Or it is the connection of farm land and the outer skirts of Lubbock. In Plano, three highways create a polygon or an imaginary boundary if people from the area are not familiar with it.
ReplyDeleteDallas and Fort Worth are the business districts in the DFW area, where Plano is a neighborhood district. Smaller areas with in Plano would include the areas devoted to the mall or the city split into zones for all of the high schools. A node for Plano would be crossing a railroad from newer developed area into downtown Plano. Plano is not as predominant as Dallas with Kennedy Memorial Plaza or Paris, France and its gardens.
The last element is landmarks, in Plano a few landmarks would be Heritage Farmstead Museum or Arbor Hills. Heritage Farmstead is a place that you can go see and view the way life was in the 1900. Arbor Hills is a big park that has paths for walking and biking on.If you want to stroll through nature and relax then Arbor Hills is the place to go. Plano does not have the landmarks like Paris and the Eiffel Tower.
Matthew Thoma
Lynch Reading 1_31
ReplyDeleteThe most appropriate area I can use to describe Lynch's 5 elements would be the Braes Bayou hike and bike trail. I travel it several times a week and in both directions (east and west). The path is obvious, it is the literal path on which I walk, jog or bike. It is a wide concrete path which is kept in fairly good condition. Many people use this path every day to exercise or commute. I see a lot of scrubs ride by, as the medical district is not far away. The path stretched for many miles.
The objects that appear as edges while on the path consist of the waterline below and the streets above. The water and streets are constantly creating movement of a different speed and intensity than the path, acting as inhibitors to pedestrian movement back and forth over the bayou and from venturing out onto the open streets beyond.
The district would be considered the entire greenbelt formed by the bayou. The area itself is completely different from its surroundings. Although its surroundings form many different districts along the trail's length, the trail itself stays steady. As far as I'm concerned, districts also includes any parks that abut the trail. These parks are usually easily visible from the trail and are easily transitioned to from it.
These parks form the nodes. They are places to travel to and from. There are higher concentrations of people in these parks. Hermann Park is the main node, of course, but others like MacGregor also lie along the path.
The landmarks at a more human scale would be the overpasses and pedestrian bridges that cross over the bayou. These landmarks act as places that mark your location. For instance, only a major road would cross the bayou, and thus create an overpass. Pedestrian bridges connect less important areas, but mark the fact that an important area is coming up, so one may want to consider crossing now to reach that area safely. Other nodes include large identifiable buildings. Certain med center buildings are recognizable by their shapes, and at night by their lights. These mark to length of path you have traveled or are a beacon to ride towards.
-Cynthia
In the reading Kevin Lynch discusses 5 elements: paths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks. For the purpose of this discussion, I would like to reflect on the trip I took to Oklahoma City last semester. When I look at Oklahoma City, I am able to see these five elements throughout the city. It is easy to talk about these elements a little out of order, but I think that for this particular purpose, it is better understood. Oklahoma City has several very distinct districts; they have the Medical District, downtown, uptown, Bricktown, and the Art District. Each of these districts has very distinct attributes that help distinguish them from different parts of the city; for example, Bricktown, one of the major entertainment districts of the city, uses brick as the primary building material. It is used in old brick streets, brick warehouses converted into restaurants, clubs, music venues, etc. Other districts in the city are distinguished in other ways besides material – example being the medical district, which is the main hub of all medical related buildings (doctors’ offices, hospitals, pharmacies, etc). The next point that is noteworthy is the way that edges are used within the city. A few of the common edge conditions in Oklahoma City include Interstates 35, 40, and 44, the railway, and the North Canadian River. The edges help to create barriers between the different districts within the city. In some cases, like Interstate 40, the city decided that the barrier was not beneficial to future growth; thus, the city decided to reroute the Interstate. Oklahoma City has different type of path systems, ranging from streets, railroads, sidewalks, as well as a man-made canal, which runs through Bricktown. As the revitalization of downtown Oklahoma City has continued over the past few years, the path system has slowly transitioned from a vehicular centered system to a pedestrian centered system. There is a long ways to go, but they have made significant progress. The most difficult point for me to discuss from Lynch’s article is the point of nodes. There are several within paths intersect within the city, and create what could potentially be considered a node. I did not observe any great examples of them, but there are some circular intersections and median parks. The last point that Lynch discusses is landmarks. When driving into Oklahoma City, it is easy to see the most significant landmark in the area – Devon Tower. This building stands 52 stories tall, towering high above everything else within the area. Devon tower is new, and was recently completed last year. It has quickly become a landmark and a reference that people can identify and visitors may use as a reference point when they move throughout the city.
ReplyDelete-JoshuaPape
I just recently visited the city New Orleans, in Louisiana. I am know aware of the five elements that Kevin Lynch describes and can see how they fit in New Orleans, particularly the French Quarter where I spent most of my time. The structure of the French Quarter is based on a grid that follows the curve of the Mississippi River. The paths would be the streets or the sidewalks. There are two streets that become closed off to cars. One is Royal Street which is closed down during the day for people playing music in the streets. The other street is Bourbon Street which is closed off at night for partying. The edges would be the Mississippi River towards the South. The architecture surrounding is different from the French Quarter since it is the oldest part of the city with a mix of French and Creole architecture; this is a district. The district of the French Quarter contains boundaries of North Rampart on toward the north, the west would be the Warehouse district which is after Canal Street, the south is the Mississippi River, and the east is Esplanade Street. Another district can be found called the French Market which is identified by open pavilions. The nodes would be where the church stops three roads that are north, south and one road east and west. The landmarks in the French Quarter would be the church since you can see it all the way from North Rampart St. when you are looking down one of the streets that intercept it. Another landmark is the Warehouse District it consists of tall buildings that can be see down any street when you are heading west which is very helpful. I really like the city of New Orleans and enjoyed analyzing it with Kevin Lynch’s 5 elements.
ReplyDelete-Danielle Smyth
As I read the assigned excerpt from the book, I couldn’t help but notice how Houston has all of these elements. Naturally so do many other cities but Houston is the most recent one on my mind so I find it appropriate to describe these elements and how they relate.
ReplyDeleteAlso, there are probably many of us fellow Texans that can relate to this city as you may have visited or spent some time there. Another reason to mention Houston’s environmental elements is because it is the largest city in the US that I have stayed in for over three months. However, I will conclude with examples of other European cities that I have visited to serve as a comparison or a better example of Lynch’s elements.
I considered paths in Houston to mainly consist of roads and highways although these paths cater to the automobile. These same highways could also be considered edges to demarcate certain districts. More specifically, I saw the convergence of I-10, I-45, and Hwy 59 to make up downtown Houston. The encircling 610 makes up what people consider living in Houston. Houston is then further encircled with Beltway 8, which serves as another edge. At the pedestrian level I noticed that Houston’s bayous serve as edges, such as Buffalo Bayou in which there are paths for jogging and biking along it.
Some districts in Houston are literally named districts such as the Skyline District, the Shopping District, and the Theatre District all within downtown and each is demarcated with a landmark such as a skyscraper, department stores, or performing centers.
Then there are other districts outside of downtown Houston that just have a certain feel and look to it. I’ll describe the ones I became most familiar and where I spent most of my time. These are the historic Old 6th Ward and the Uptown district. The Old Sixth Ward is just north west of downtown. Its main path is Washington Avenue and is edged with many old houses, old storefronts, and an old fire station and it leads west into the Washington Heights district. The Uptown district is home to Houston’s second business district and it is right outside 610 to the west of Houston. I mention this area because of the landmarks that within it such as Williams tower, the Galleria mall, and even the chrome signs and arches along Post Oak Boulevard.
The best examples for nodes that I can think of for Houston are the exit ramps because you actually have a junction of paths where you do have to make a decision (sometimes a very quick decision).
As far as landmark examples there are many in Houston depending on the location and scale. The most prominent one for me was Williams Tower because it indicated to me how close I was to arriving to my apartment after being in or around downtown.
As you can tell these examples require the use of automobiles because Houston is a very automobile-driven city. My examples of pedestrian elements come from European cities such as Seville, Barcelona, and Paris.
The paths in these three European cities are geared towards the pedestrians and in Seville are paved with cobblestone. These cities’ water features such as the Guadalquivir River, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Seine River serve as edges for the city. Nodes usually occurred at plazas because there were various paths that converged there. Districts could usually be distinguished by its characteristics such as La Defense in Paris, which has a completely futuristic look. As for landmarks the most prominent of these cities that stands out to me is the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See whose towers can be seen throughout all of Seville and which no building can be built higher than.
Kevin Lynch’s city elements examples are great for studying urban design and have helped me become more aware of urban surroundings. I would like to eventually be able to go to more pedestrian friendly areas within the United States such as Manhattan and Boston and see how well I can identify myself within the city based of what I have learned from Lynch’s reading.
Emmanuel Castrellon
The path that stands out most to me is a series of streets in Spain that is Las Ramblas. It connects a good portion of Spain from the beach to a part of town that is mostly commercial. A person could walk along the middle section of the street, but there is also the two sides and then an underground subway that pedestrians could use to get up and down the streets.
ReplyDeleteThe edge to this would be the two narrow streets that the cars are allowed to drive on, the pace of the vehicular traffic is much faster than that of the pedestrian so it limits the pedestrians to where they can cross over and get to the other side to where there are stop lights and cross walks.
A perfect example of a district is Las Ramblas in Barcelona Spain. There are plenty of food areas on the sides of the streets and in the center there is places to buy souvenirs and other items. The Ramblas is dotted with street performers and is very busy on the weekends.
A node for the streets would be at one end of the street you have the Barcelona Plaza. You are at one end of the series of streets when you are in the plaza. The plaza is a gateway for many of the other streets as well as the transportation in Barcelona. You have access to the bus, as well as taxies and the subway from this plaza, and with Spain being mostly pedestrian traffic it has wide sidewalks that can accommodate many people as they are walking.
A landmark in Las Ramblas is the beach and harbor at the other end of the street. When I was there and I was getting directions from the locals they often said to go towards the beach when pointing out the different locations I was wanting to go. So the city of Barcelona Spain has made a clear image in my head, and with the five elements that Lynch gave to describe a city, I think it works well.
Bradley Rich
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ReplyDeleteEven though I have had read Kevin Lynch’s “The city image and its elements” before, it is really interesting to refresh my memory especially now that I am more involved in studying how cities work and how they are established. After analyzing the reading I can immediately refer to my hometown and describe each of these elements. It will more than likely be unknown to you but I will be describing the city of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. When thinking of “paths” Tijuana has some major paths that mark the city, the most important ones are “via rapida poniente” and “via rapida oriente” which are the two main highways in the city, they run along the Tijuana River, each on each sides of the river. Another major path in my point of view would be “calle 2da.” Which translates to “2nd street”, this street crosses most part of the city running for east to west, from low income part of town, crosses the shopping district, through downtown, and all the way to the beach.
ReplyDeleteEdges are really defined in this city as well, “avenida internacional” or “international avenue” is probably the most distinguished in town. This specific heavy load avenue runs along the borderline of the city, alongside the metallic fence which separates the U.S. and Mexico. This avenue converts later into a highway and I believe will take you from the Pacific all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. At the same time I believe it serves as a path as well since it is probably the most transited avenue in the entire city. Another edge would definitely be the boardwalk along the beach. I lived less than a .25 mi from the beach and ever since we were little kids that boardwalk was always defined as an edge of the city. The Tijuana River can also be defined as an edge, it defines to completely different parts of the city, on one side you have the commercial most important part of the city and across you encounter probably the less beautiful part of town. Most of the low income families live here, you will find unpaved street, and houses that are made from cardboard.
In the city of Tijuana districts are also very obviously defined. Starting from the west you have “Playas de Tijuana” which is the beach district (where I used to live), mainly residential beautiful part of town. Next would be “Downtown” which is mainly commercial and also has beautiful parks and great food. And probably the next most important district would be “Zona Rio” where you have the most important shopping centers along with corporate offices, theaters, convention center, etc.
Personally, I believe Tijuana has 4 major nodes within its parameters. The first one of course would be the beach, it does not only attract locals but also people from across the border, especially now that they have invested millions of dollar in trying to redevelop the shoreline, bringing more shops, bars and restaurants. Another node would be an alley in the intersection of avenida revolucion and calle 2da, which was converted into a beautiful place for tourist to really feel the Mexican culture. You can buy all types of goodies and you can even take a picture with the famous “burro” which is a donkey painted like a zebra. The international border crossing also serves as a node in my perception, thousands of people cross the border everyday to either work, school, or simply shop. But at the same time serves as a place for businesses to function since while you are waiting in line to cross the border you have the opportunity to purchase anything you can think of. And last but not least, Plaza rio, as I’ve mentioned before, is the most important shopping center in town.
And when thinking of a landmark I can only think of one, CECUT (centro culutural Tijuana) or Tijuana’s Cultural Center. It serves as a place for art exhibitions, concerts, fims (360 degree projector on the interior). When thinking of Tijuana this should be the image of the city.
Kevin Lynch describes his five elements of the urban environment: paths, edges, nodes, districts and landmarks as being the raw material of the environmental image at the city scale. They must be patterned together to provide a satisfying form.
ReplyDeleteSeville, Spain is a vivid example of how these five elements are successfully patterned together to provide the form of the city. By exploring Seville during my study abroad program it was interesting to see how the paths with in the center of the city acted as an interwoven system that would disintegrate as you move away from the center towards the mayor streets such as Paseo de Cristobal Colon and Calle Recadero.
Edges were clearly define within the city by: the Guadalquivir River which extends from north to south of the city, the Great Fortress Wall (or what is left of it) that surrounded the city on the 1600’s for protection, and the railroad tracks of the Santa Justa train station.
There is not a visible line that defines each of the different districts of Seville, but each one has an internal character that distinguishes them from one another. For example, the Casco Antiguo Distric (the heart of the city) is where you will find most of the tourist activity. On the other hand the Triana District is well known for its restaurants, bars and nightclubs on Calle Betis. Districts tend to be larger in size than other elements and because of that reason, contain within themselves paths, nodes, edges and landmarks.
Nodes or concentration of activities as described by Kevin Lynch were also present on mayor street intersections in Seville, but other places where I also found mayor concentration of activities were: the plaza de la Encarnacion better known as Plaza Parasol, Seville Cathedral and Plaza de Espana.
Finally, Seville also has strong landmarks; external point references that contrast with its background. Torre de Oro and La Giralda which are clearly visible from a distance have been the tallest structures within the city for many years and have served as points of reference for many people.
-Luis Velasco
In the reading Kevin Lynch discusses 5 elements: paths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks. Once I completed the assigned reading I couldn’t help but to think about my hometown Denton, Texas and how it has all these elements. With its main streets intersecting each other at different points, these paths will allow you to be able to access a point in Denton in many different ways. One new path that has emerged in Denton that will get you from one side of Denton to another and eventually to Dallas is the DCTA train. I actually ride the train from downtown Denton to Dallas for my internship at RTKL. Denton has several districts some of the major ones are Downtown, Forrestridge, Oak-Hickory Historic and South East Denton Districts. Key features that the districts hold are the University of North Texas, Texas Women’s University, hospitals, courthouse, landmarks, entertainment etc. Even though Denton is growing rapidly an edge in Denton would be the two main highways that surround it, loop 289 and I -35. Once beyond the imaginary edge you will start approaching smaller cities developing around it on one side and bigger cities developing on the other side on the way to Dallas. The square in downtown Denton would be considered a node; it is the oldest part of the city. The square is bordered by Oak, Hickory, Locust, and Elm Street; once one starts leaving the area in any direction one will notice the change from the historical old buildings to the more developed areas surrounding it. The main landmark in Denton is the Denton County Courthouse which is located in the center of the square, giving it that much more on an importance to it. The courthouse is composed of local government offices and a museum where one can go learn about its history and culture.
ReplyDeleteHector Zumalacarregui
Looking at a city in the terms of its elements helps one to find the places that hold the highest importance. Path is the first element which is discussed and it is noted that people view paths as the predominant city element out of the rest. Chicago, Illinois offers a great example of this element in a couple of different ways. The first observation that I made was that the city was largely influenced by the intercity rail lines, and when someone offered directions they used the color of the line as a form of directionality. This integration of the rail system held such importance that they even brought it through downtown areas lifting them above the streets themselves. Major avenues weren't overshadowed by this fact though. Michigan Ave. was one of the busiest streets running alongside Millennium Park, crossing the river, and servicing more pedestrians and vehicles simultaneously than any of the other streets near it. As such many architects, like Le Corbusier, saw the importance of the pathways within the city and developed a style of design that would address and engage these spaces further emphasizing them. Though many saw ways to draw these paths inward many looked at ways to separate them.
ReplyDeleteThis moves the discussion forward to the edge element of the city. The Chicago River is an example of an edge within the city. Michigan Ave. runs north and south for a great distance through this city. It doesn't curve or bend for miles as it connects many suburbs with the downtown area until it meets the river. At this southern point of the river, the avenue bends and there is a noticeable shift to the atmosphere in that moment when experiencing that space; it is as if the order that has led to it has fallen into chaos. Even the northern shore of the river greats the observer differently as though you have transitioned into a new place even though it is still the same path. Harris Theater just south of this intersection has formed an edge that breaks Millennium Park from the rest of the city north of it. This theater has a direct access to the park, inviting and engaging that space, but it blocks any interaction from the north directly separating the two unlike the rest of the structures in the park.
Districts are the next element of the city that is addressed in this discussion. Within a city, districts can be as deliberate as a city defining and labeling said districts much like Berlin, Germany has done. While at the same time districts can be classified by visual or social implications such as the ghetto area of Greenville, Tx being referred to as “Darktown”. One of the best examples of districts and the separation between them can be found in Oklahoma City; Bricktown and the areas that surround it each have their own character. Bricktown also falls into both of the categories that were described above.
At the heart of every city is the fourth and most of the times the fifth element, nodes and landmarks. Mauerpark and Brandenburg Gate in Berlin both meet the criteria of a node as well as landmark. Down every street that connects to the park the soccer stadiums can be seen rising above the full tree lines and the Brandenburg Gate itself is a monument seen for miles serving the element of a landmark. The nodal aspect of each location comes from the draw that each has. Apart from being a major tourist location, the gate has had such a steeped history that many prominent events through out history have been held within the square or the garden for with it bridges. They are each activity centers within the area of the city that they serve and one such clue of their importance is that each has a tram/rail line stop so that they are easily accessible from any point in the city.
Nathan Pope
Even though I have read the majority of Kevin Lynch’s The Image of the City multiple times before, I always fail to see the relationship that these five elements have to each other. The five elements of Kevin Lynch are paths, edges, districts, nodes, and landmarks. I always seem to focus more on these elements individually rather than how the relationship they have to each other and how this helps shape the urban environment. Having taken some urban design and study courses as well as living in an urban environment for a while now has changed my understanding of the relationship between these five elements. What I find interesting about these five elements is how they are relatively unaffected by scale. They can relate to the layout of entire cities, but also can help in understanding the design of your neighborhood park.
ReplyDeleteOne of the places in which I have had the pleasure of going more than once is Venice, Italy. Venice is arguably the most beautiful city I have ever been to. Venice’s rich history and architecture make it a destination for hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. It was not until I studied abroad in Italy, however, that I got an understanding of the overall layout of Venice. It was also around this time that I first read The Image of the City. If Venice were to be broken up into Lynch’s five elements, it truly proves to be one of the most intriguing cities in the World.
The paths of Venice could be the canals in which people can use to navigate throughout the city or to go from island to island. The paths could also very well be the narrow bridges that allow for circulation over the existing canal conditions. Finally, the city has a large number of streets that serve as paths from one destination to another.
The edges of Venice are part of what makes the city interesting in my opinion, due to the fact that a vast majority of the city is facing the canal system. So in turn, Venice becomes plagued with beautiful edge conditions in which you have the canals, but also the buildings that are arranged close together.
Venice has several districts that help to organize the city. The largest and notorious district in the city of Venice is the San Marco district. This district has a large amount of commercial space, some residential space, a large market space, plenty of open plaza type space, and multiple historical buildings in its midst. All of these elements make San Marco the busiest part of Venice to the point where sometimes it is even difficult to make ones way through from one end of the district to the other.
The nodes condition in Venice is also one that is quite interesting. The primary node in Venice is the Santa Lucia railway station. The railway station has a plaza type space which becomes a major intersection of pedestrian travel. Tourists are either arriving to Venice and entering a boat taxi to their respective destination, or walking by foot to their destination, or leaving Venice. I would also argue that the bridges in Venice serve as very important nodes within the urban landscape. These bridges serve as ways to connect the different islands to each other but also as focal points in which often times people stop to admire the view or to even socialize.
If there is one thing that Venice is not lacking is landmarks. There are many landmarks that exist in Venice, but the primary one is San Marcos Cathedral. San Marcos Cathedral is located in the San Marco district. This cathedral has become an iconic piece of architecture in the landscape of Venice to the point where many associate the beautiful cathedral with the city as a whole.
Sergio De Jesus
When considering Kevin Lynch's 5 elements which are Paths, Edges, Districts, Nodes and Landmarks; the first place that comes to my mind is New York City (the most famous urban city in the world). The epicenter of business, fashion and so on.
ReplyDeleteI am not going to talk about New york city as a whole but I will narrow down to the major place that caught my attention which is New York Harbor (a natural harbor where the Atlantic Ocean meets with water from the Hudson River). It is also the route through which the Staten island ferry travels to both Manhattan and Staten island.
Paths: New York Harbor is one of the minor city elements that people channel along, for some people daily and for some occasionally. People always observe the city while moving through it. At night once you see the glow you know your back in New york.
Edges: These act as lateral references. New York Harbor also acts as an unintended barrier between Manhattan, Staten island and Long Island.
Districts: New York Harbor is a large city area. It can be contrasted to the rest of the city and can be recognized immediately (Ellis island is located on this harbor which is one of the elements that adds to its recognition ).
Nodes: New York Harbor can be a junction where the Atlantic Ocean meets with water from the Hudson River. It is accessible by observers by means of transportation. It is also be a break/change in transportation, for example: an individual going from Brooklyn to Staten Island can either drive all the way or drive to Manhattan then take the ferry to Staten Island.
Landmarks: These are point reference considered by observers. Along the path of New York Harbor is Ellis Island, Governor Island and Liberty Island which houses the Statue of Liberty.
New york city can also be used as an example considering the fact that it has all the elements but I focused on New York Harbor because I have been able to experience the entire path and I have not been able to experience all the places in New york city.
Esther Ajanaku
Going through Kevin Lynch’s “Image of the city”, I could not help but to think back of my study abroad summer and all the cities I visited in that short period of time. I experienced Lynch’s five points in all of them but some instances were stronger in a particular city as I understood them.
ReplyDeleteThe Path element was more evident to me in the city of Rome. I found myself wondering through Rome with no particular destination in mind, I visited landmark after landmark until I stumbled into the Castel Sant’ Angelo, which then I realized it was adjacent to the Via Della Conciliazione. This is the axis that leads to Saint Peter’s Square, and this is where I feel the element path is at its strongest. This is because it also becomes a visual path with a terminus, leading you from the moment you perceive it until you enter the Cathedral.
The element of districts became a manifestation of density in Seville Spain. I perceived the city as densities of the built environment, for example, the historic district at the center was much denser than the outlining city. The streets were narrower and buildings were cluster together. When entering the historic district from the outside the change was evident and the environment shrunk around you and even though there wasn’t a clear boundary to show was one district or the other, you just knew based on the space around you. This leads me to the next element of nodes. The narrow streets in the historic district wound in and out through the buildings like rivers carving through rock and the nodes became the plazas in which these streets ended. These plazas were a gathering place for the locals, they included restaurants, shops. They became the third place, were people passed their leisure time in the afternoons and evenings.
A perfect example of the transitions through Lynch’s 5 elements is the daily route I rode to and from studio in Berlin during study abroad. My route started at our apartment located at Tempelherrenstr. 20, 10961 Berlin. There are a series of paths that I took and the first is north on Tempelherrenstrasse to Carl-Herz-Ufer passing many edges, which were the buildings that encompassed each block. As I turned right on Carl-Herz-Ufer and approached the junction of Baerwaldstrasse and Prinzenstrasse north I crossed my first node at the river. Continuing north along Prinzenstrasse led me to my second node where Prinzenstrasse and Oranienstrasse intersected at Moritzplatz. By continuing north, the transition to Heinrich-Heine-Strasse is also the transition point from the Kreutzberg district to that I was living in, to Friedrichshain. I passed another main node and edge at the river near Holzmarktstrasse and continued along Alexanderstrasse that led me to a series of paths, and a dominant edge condition, district, node, and landmark in the city.
ReplyDeleteThe district I had entered was Mitte and within Mitte is Alexanderplatz with this area being the center of the city there are intersections of U-Bahn, subway, streets, pedestrian paths, important buildings, etc. The major landmark that was a landmark for the entire city as well was Fernsehturm Berlin. This is the television tower in the center of Alexanderplatz. Seeing as how I was moving the whole time, the intersection of Alexanderstrasse and Karl-Marx-Allee was the major node along my route. I still continued north along Otto-Braun-Strasse where I crossed the edge of the Mitte district proceeded into Prenslauer Berg and Otto-Braun changed to Greifswalder Strasse. The studio was located on Greifswalder Strasse just before the next node and district edge at Greifswalder and Danziger Strasse.
A part of Houston that I have always enjoyed walking or cycling around has to be rice village, which is close to Hermann park and the Medical District. One main reason is that the atmosphere changes rapidly from one side of the street to the other. There is a quality of movement of people that I think is very unique to this area of the city. Paths change from concrete, to gravel, to dirt, and back to concrete, subsequently altering a walking pace and defining a standard use of the walkway. An example, there are gravel trails that bound Rice university, Hermann park and small sections of path through out sunset blvd. and close to where the light rail runs. These paths are usually used by joggers, walkers, and cyclists working out. The concrete paths run sometimes next to, across the street of the gravel and some even intertwine creating a very interesting observation. When I was walking on the path I found myself more aware of the runners and joggers and it made me walk a little faster, but when on concrete my pace slowed and I was more relaxed. Just as the paths are clearly denote different purposes I found that the ‘edges’ also denoted some interesting conditions. Rice has a very easily definable edge, it is a wall that surrounds the campus. Hermann park however does not have this clear linear element but yet it seems that there is an edge that is denoted by the street itself. While it is penetrable unlike Rice’s wall, I feel that in many ways the several overlapping paths that go from street, to walkway, light-rail, to walkway, to street, to walkway, all act to define an edge that is clearly noticeable. And is at least more intimidating to navigate across than other streets in the area. The area has many districts that people would attach to it, The medical district, museum district, rice village, they all are areas in which people would enter and while there is some overlap of the districts, there are visible changes that make each district apparent when you are walking and even driving. Namely the difference in scale of structure, the Medical district has very tall buildings while, Rice Village, and Museum district operate at smaller scales in the height of their buildings. I think that Hermann park acts as the junction node for these districts, it sits centrally, connected to each district by walkway, street, rail, and bus. It acts not only to connect but also attracts its own venue of people to events, exercise, and the zoo. There are several landmarks that provide easy understandings of the relationships between districts and locations with in the park. The fountains and the natural science museum have always been my landmarks for knowing where things are because the relationship provides access to every direction that you would need to go. There are also very visible tall buildings that provide an excellent landmark in relationship to the Medical district and Rice Village. Overall I think this area was designed with many of Kevin Lynch’s principles in mind and it makes for a very engaging and pleasant urban area to be in.
ReplyDeleteZachary Mitchell
For my image of the city, I'm going to have to use my home town since that is my most familiar place that I can really describe. The five elements I will be applying them in the city of El Paso Tx. The First element in the reading of Kevin Lynch is paths. The first thing that comes to mind is the freeway in El Paso wich is I-10 that runs from east to west or west to east. The I-10 has been there for many years and it has been the only highway and quickest way to get from one side to the other side. Of course now there is more highways in the city but I-10 is still the main source of transportation as a main path of the city.
ReplyDeleteThe second element is edges. A clear and physical edge in El Paso is the border that separates the US from Mexico. You can see the fence going all across the city and the Rio Grande river as well separating El Paso from Cd. Juarez creating an edge to both cities. Also another edge within the city will be the Franklin Mountains which are located more less in the center of the El Paso and separates the west side of the city from the east side. It's more as a division, but I consider it an edge looking at it from the perspective from either side.
Now talking about the West and the East side, those could be considered as districts for the third element. El Paso is a big city and it takes time to get from one place to another. For example I could say I'm going to the west side meaning it's going to take some time for me to come back were I came from. El Paso is divided into the West side, East side, North East side, downtown and the Lower valley as its mayor areas of the city where I say they may be districts of the city.
There is nodes everywhere, but of course there is always the main area with the most concentration of activities in the city. The main node of the city is in the University of Texas at El Paso where most activities such as sports, concerts, events etc. occur all around the year. Another node could be the El Paso Coliseum which is also used for the same purposes of events.
For the last element known as Landmarks it is hard to say for this type of city. A main and historical landmark for El Paso is San Jacinto Plaza in downtown area. This plaza is a historical place for the city were it helds some city events and is located in the busy area of downtown. Another example of a landmark is Cielo Vista Mall shopping center. The reason I chose the mall is because people like to go there and hang out or go shopping for any occasion. Especially In Christmas time, it gets wild in there because the whole city is shopping there and also the people from across the border go there to shop at the same place so it gets crazy in the mall. It's a different kind of landmark as some people will describe it, but I think it could be an interesting landmark of the city. That is how I see the image of the city in El Paso Tx.
Julen Arruti