The Influence of Urban Fabric Typologies on Pedestrian Wayfinding

Abstract

Normally, in unfamiliar urban environments, wayfinding process obliges human beings to recognize the urban street network to be able to have a good sense of orientation. Wayfinding is the ability to reach a destination from an origin which requires a high awareness of the space navigated. In this concern, Lynch's theory of legibility has been essential in the urban design and planning fields showing the concept of urban imageability that is dependent on five elements which include paths, edges, nodes, landmarks and districts. However, recent research has suggested that planning according to the urban fabric typologies could address the limitations of Lynch's approach to urban spatial cognition. From this perspective, this research employs a methodology that combines a set of guidelines considering the imageability of streets which should enable appropriate distribution of the visual clues according to the typology of the urban fabric to guide the pedestrians through their walking trips in order to reach easily their destinations. Furthermore, the research follows a comparative analysis between the legibility of the radial, curvilinear and organic urban fabric typologies of Lisburn city centre in Northern Ireland, UK which signifies that the radial urban fabric is the most legible typology which provides the most essential features for efficient pedestrian wayfinding.

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