Cognizant streets : an analytical study of architectural psychology in relation to the six senses with special reference to urban streets

Abstract

The designers of built environment, the place makers have always be concerned with generating the 'appropriate place'. So many theories, visions and paradigms have been formed through analysis and visionary of numerous designers and architects through out the history on creating 'proper place for 'proper function'. Still most of the views have placed their emphasis on the visual aspects of the place. The plans, giving rise eventually to tile three dimensional form, by which one is environed, and the majestic elevations which create the face of the built environment, the colors, lighting, solid and void ratios, visual proportions, visual balance, all has been subject to extensive analysis. In all but a few of place making analysis, we find that architecture is not to be seen, but to be felt the stand taken throughout the study. For most probably except the few gifted people known as architects or designers the space is to be felt, rather than to be seen. The elevations are not seen except form fat' away, the plan form is not recognized, except for the immediate enclosure where one is in, instead the space is felt through all the five tangible sensory organs, to create a visualization, the big picture in our mind, the sixth sense of man. The big visual created through the perceptions obtained through all the senses, makes one recognize each place in a unique way, a way unique in many aspects than just the visual ones. This base is taken through the study to analyze the street. The street, its unique way of usability than just the conveyer function is analyzed in tile study through the concept that the street is a place felt by al! the five senses and recognized through the sixth sense. The analysis is taken further based on the fact various visualizations of the streets by the user is formed by the input they obtain through the five senses. The street formed the base, as street is recognized to be more dynamic a space than the static places which have more rigid characteristics, and are less impulsive on the senses. This study concentrates on analyzing the street, in the sense that it is a place to be felt; felt by all the five senses and to be grabbed or visualized by the sixth sense.