BOX 19.3 Some principles for designing legible cities Research into the image of cities has identified a number of broad guidelines for designing legible urban environments:
2. Perhaps most fundamental is the suggestion of Evans et al. (1982), based on a comparison of the towns of Cuidad Guayana (Venezuela) and Orange (California), that the basic principles of urban legibility are not site specific. Building features such as large size, sharp singular contours, complex shape and high use generally enhance imageability and legibility 65 2. Settings can be made more legible by the placement of landmarks at major route nodes to maximise visibility
3. Building function contributes to legibility, with well-used structures usually being highly mem- orable. This aspect can be combined with form and location factors to provide a distinctive landmark where needed, as, for example, in a homogeneous residential area, or where the street pattern is confusing.
4. Wherever possible, highways should be designed so that a functionally efficient network can also provide legible routes and visual satisfaction, as well as avoiding turnpike hypnosis' (e.g. through the use of billboard art)
5. Careful attention should be given to the design of individual components of the street scene, including paving, lighting, seating and planting elements.
6. Greater attention to how people use public information cues can lead to improved guidance systems for both pedestrians and public transport users 67
7. It is essential to avoid overemphasis on the physical aspects of settings per since this se, may ignore the symbolic meaning of places and spaces to various people. High-rise buildings, for example, may be viewed as symbols of corporate power with other symbolic attachments for city hall, historic buildings or the home area. As Appleyard (1970 p. 116) commented, 'too often town planners and design professionals structure their communities so that they read well at an altitude of 30,000 ft'.69
8. Finally, since urban images are influenced by personal characteristics, planners must take account of the unique design needs of urban sub- groups, including, for example, elderly people, disabled people or people with restricted mobility 70