human cities

Research from Ljubljana
Mapping

The Slovenian team will focus on GIS mapping methods. These methods for public space evaluation are based on the exploration of people’s engagement with public spaces. The first, “Observation & behavioural mapping”, explores physical form and dynamic patterns of spatial occupancy in parks and squares, the second, “Interviews & cognitive mapping”, examines connectedness and extension of neighbouring places in a common mental image. Thus, quality of places is addressed with the approaches which gather information and offer insights about places through the “people” component. At the same time it is of key importance that such qualities are presented in the medium designers are familiar with. Visual communication is a key communication tool in urban design profession, therefore maps and map-making are crucial components in selection of methods and techniques relevant to research in urban design and related disciplines. This is especially prominent when communicating qualitative characteristics of places which primarily concern non-spatial attributes of places such as activities people are involved with in places or conceptions of places.

Observation and behavioural mapping

Observation as a research method is well known in the field of environmental psychology. It deals with how to understand what people do in particular spatial settings and what they consider right or correct regarding environmental design or spatial reality. There are different techniques available in recording observations, depending on the scale and the nature of the research problem. In terms of an analytical tool in evaluating urban open public space, the observation and its recording thus represents the very complex process that binds observation and recording techniques into one entirety. In terms of usage-spatial analysis it represents a systematic approach based on function or use rather than on aesthetics alone. However, a scientific frame of any recording must meet some conditions that enable control and repetition of the process. Those conditions are seen as following the five elements behavioural mapping have: a graphic rendering of the areas observed; a clear definition of the human behaviours/activities observed, counted, described, or depicted; a schedule of repeated times during which the observation and recording take place; a systematic procedure followed in observing; a coding and counting system, which minimises the effort required in recording observations. Beside the activity-symbols which are recorded on these maps, the observers usually record also codes for age groups and duration of each activity. Notes about the weather condition (temperature, wind, dryness, sunshine) and other relevant notices or remarks (for example, festival going on) are also recorded.

Interviews & cognitive mapping

Every person has his/her own perception of the world and this is known as a mental map. It is individual’s own internal map of their known world. Since Lynch’s (1960) introduction of mental maps into urban studies other techniques for revealing the perception of urban spaces have been developed while mental mapping remains one of the key approaches. Another useful technique for understanding of individual’s internal world are interviews. In order to find out the structure of the open spaces in users’ mental images an integrated approach has been developed at UPIRS. It combines interviews and drawing techniques. The interviewee gets a morphological map of the studied area within which he/she has to mentally position him/her-self in an exact location before the interview starts. The map includes wider context within at least five minutes walking distance and shows detailed articulation of places such as paving, street furniture, vegetation, etc. The questions asked during the interview relate to the perception and evaluation of the physical and usage-related elements that constitute a definite place in the mental image of an interviewee.