2. • Urban design is an approach to the design
of buildings and the spaces between them
that focuses on specific design processes
and outcomes.
• In addition to designing and shaping the
physical features of towns, cities, and
regional spaces, urban design considers
'bigger picture' issues of economic, social
and environmental value and social design.
• The scope of a project can range from a
local street or public space to an entire city
and surrounding areas.
• Urban designers connect the fields of
architecture, landscape architecture and
urban planning to better organize physical
space and community environments
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Urban design deals with the larger scale
of groups of buildings, infrastructure,
streets, and public spaces, entire
neighborhoods and districts, and entire
cities, with the goal of making urban
environments that are equitable,
beautiful, performative, and sustainable
4. PATH
Paths are the channels which the observer
moves. They can be streets, walkways,
transit lines, canals and railroads.
• Particular paths may become important
features in a number of ways such as
customary travel.
• Concentration of special use or activity
along a street may give it prominence
for the observers.
• Specific spatial qualities were able to
strengthen the image of particular
paths.
• Special facade characteristics are
important for path identity.
• Proximity to special of the city could
also endow a path with increased
importance.
• Paths with clear and well-known origins
and destinations had stronger identities.
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EXAMPLE- YAMUNA EXPRESSWAY, BANGLORE-
MYSORE HIGHWAY, etc
5. EDGE
Edges are the boundaries between two
phases, linear breaks in continuity. For
instance shores, railroad cuts, edges of
development and walls. There are
different types of edges such as;
1. Fragmentary Edges: In the abstract
continuous but only visualized edges
in discrete points.
2. Overhead Edges: Elevated railways of
Jersey City and Boston.
3. Visible Edge: Lake Michigan in
Chicago.
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EXAMPLE- LAKE, RAILWAY EDGES, WALLS OF CHINA
MARINE DRIVE, ETC
6. DISTRICTS
• Districts are large city areas which
observer can mentally go inside of.
• The physical characteristics that
determine districts are; texture, space,
form, detail, symbol, building type,
use, activity, inhabitants, degree of
maintenance, topography.
• Districts have different kinds of
boundaries such as hard, definite and
precise.
• Edges may augment the tendency of
districts to fragment the city in a
disorganizing way.
• Some districts are single, standing
along their zone and others are
connected to each other.
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EXAMPLE- CITY OF VENICE, CHRUCH STREET AND UB
CITY IN BANGLORE, ETC
7. NODE
• Nodes are the strategic foci into
which the observer can enter either
junctions of paths or concentrations
of some characteristic.
• The strategic junction nodes can be
the subway stations, strung along
their invisible path systems and major
railroad stations.
• Also, the nodes can be introverted or
extroverted. The example was an
Italian node which is the Piazza San
Marco.
• It was highly differentiated, rich, and
intricate; sharply contrast to the
general character of the city.
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EXAMPLE- METRO STATION, AIRPORTS, CROSS
JUNCTION OF ROADS, ETC
8. LANDMARK
• Landmarks are the point references which are
external to the observer and simple physical
elements vary in scale. Figure background
contrast relationship is the principal factor.
• Subjects may single out landmarks for their
cleanliness in a dirt city or newness in an old
city. Location at a junction involving path
decisions strengthens a landmark.
• An example of a distant landmark is the Duomo
of Florence because it is visible from near and
far, by day or night, it is dominant by size and
contour and lastly it is relate to city’s tradition.
Spatial prominence can establish landmarks in
two ways;
1. Making element visible from many locations.
2. Setting up local contrast with nearby elements.
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EXAMPLE- RESTAURANT, MONUMENT, INSTITUTE, ETC
