_Urban Design Reader：The visual dimension.pdfVIP

Section Five The visual dimension TEAM LinG The visual dimension 179 Architecture and urban design are among the very Space in Urban Environments (Architectural Media few truly inescapable – and, therefore, public – art Ltd, Tallahassee). Like Cullen’s work, White presents forms. With movements such as ‘City Beautiful’ in a well-illustrated discussion of the key visual and the US and ‘Townscape’ in the UK establishing a spatial qualities of the urban environment. This little predominantly visual perspective on development, known contribution to the urban design literature the visual dimension of urban design was perhaps is useful in the way it succinctly summarises these its dominant dimension until at least the 1960s. key concepts. The article’s value is its three-part Even the Modern Movement can be criticised for its structure, focusing on ‘path’, ‘portal’ and ‘place’. preoccupation with the visual expression of many of Path equates to ‘street’ and may be regarded as a its key concepts rather than with the essence of the more movement-oriented space. Place equates to concepts themselves. The expression of function, ‘square’ and, in turn, may be regarded as a more for example, was often more important than build- static space. Portal refers to thresholds and transi- ings or places actually being functional. While the tions between spaces and between the public and visual composition of both architecture and urban private realms. space is a vitally important component of