01/11/2022

Suez Canal University

Faculty of Engineering
Department of Architecture and Urban Planning
Level 4 - 2022-2023

URBAN DESIGN AND

LECTURE (2)
HOUSING (UPL 202) Principles of Urban Design
Dr. Sara Mohamed Atwa
Dr. Tahani Mokhtar

Under Supervision of: Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Fouad

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❑ Principles of urban design 1- People first ..

Human-centric design
• Principles of good urban design differ between the
various practices of urban design across the world.

1. People first (human centric design)

2. Character
3. Mobility (ease of movement)
4. Legibility
5. Diversity/mixing • Urban environments need to be scaled to human proportions, senses,
and experience. Even at city level, designs must be people-centric,
6. Public realm (safe, attractive, functioning) focused on the needs and wishes of those who live, work, and play
7. Enclosure
• Great places create unique experiences; it is what keeps people rooted,
contented, and coming back for more (attractive urban spaces).

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1- People first .. 1- People first ..

Human-centric design Human-centric design

▪ How?
▪ Why?
• Part of this process involves
asking residents what they
• For decades, communities were designed around cars, not people want their city to look like (e.g.
to ensure projects represent
creating a separation of uses that has decreased physical activity and their priorities).
thereby overall health

• Individuals are more likely to be active in a community designed around • Using technology (e.g.,
citizens can create their own
their needs designs, comment on existing
plans, and share their input
with neighbors and government
official

• Studying resident behaviour

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1- People first .. 1- People first ..

Human-centric design Human-centric design

▪ Design for people?

• Increase pedestrian-
friendly public spaces

• Allow basic necessities

and community amenities
to be accessible by
walking or biking

• Create more diverse

landscape; people prefer
areas with visual
complexity over more
homogeneous
landscapes” (STEPHEN
GOLDSMITH, 2019

Urban designers have begun to understand that designing a city means designing for the
well-being of the people who live there. (STEPHEN GOLDSMITH, 2019)

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2- Character 2- Character
It is a place with its own identity ▪ Why?
or distinctive "personality : to
promote character in townscape • Places that are different, unusual, or unique can be helpful in promoting
and landscape by responding to - physical activity
and reinforcing- locally distinctive
patterns of development, • Embracing the unique character of a site, neighborhood, or community
can economically differentiate a project or place in the market,
architecture, landscape and
supporting asset value
culture.
• Contributing to a distinct character sustains community by nurturing the
identity of the neighborhood (enhance sense of identity and pride)

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2- Character 2- Character
▪ Elements
▪ How? • Urban layouts and buildings:
buildings are walls of streets and
• New projects can contribute, enhance and further define the character urban spaces. Consistency of
of a neighborhood rather than simply alter it – each potential
architectural style, building types,
development or improvement needs to consider the context of its
heights all impact the character of
neighborhood or district and work with it
the streets, neighbourhoods or
cities.
• Identify the key assets of a place and prioritize development;
special characteristics can be identified, celebrated, and used to create
a focal point upon which to build community identity
• The distinctive character of
buildings appear through its
details: material, openings,
• Integrate natural systems balconies, rhythms of façade, ..

• Type of activity/landuse affects

building type and style which
impact the character of place.

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2- Character 2- Character
▪ Elements

• Landscape: whether natural

(presence of rivers,
mountains, slopes,..) which
help create vistas and
pleasant views and add a
unique character of a place

• or designed natural
landscape elements (parks,
street planting, … ), can give
character to streets,
neighbourhoods and cities.

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2- Character 2- Character
▪ Elements ▪ Elements

• Landscape: whether natural • Details: such as signages,

(presence of rivers, streetscape elements, color
mountains, slopes,..) which and lighting (of buildings,
help create vistas and structures, outdoor
pleasant views and add a elements), can all impact the
unique character of a place character of the place

• or designed natural
landscape elements (parks,
street planting, … ), can give
character to streets,
neighbourhoods and cities.

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3- Mobility..
Ease of movement
Group discussion To create a place that is easy to get to and move through, by; promoting
accessibility, making places that connect with each other, putting people
before traffic and integrating land uses and transport.

1. Promote accessibility: create

accessible transit areas

• Concentrating variety of land uses

Name areas, spaces in the city with character?
How do you perceive their character?
near rail and bus stops increases
opportunities for public transit riders
and residents to easily access jobs,
entertainment and amenities,
• Design for all ages and abilities; Install
easy drop-off zones for persons with
disabilities and design elements for
elderly.

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3- Mobility.. 3- Mobility..
Ease of movement Ease of movement

2. Ensure connectivity

• A well-integrated system of
roads, paths and transit
routes that encourages
different modes of
movement through the city
creates a well-designed and
efficient circulation system
(resulting in a vibrant and
healthy city)

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3- Mobility..
Ease of movement
3. Improve Walkability, bikeability

Improving walkability and bikeability of streets will improve wellbeing of

residents,

• Create a continuous, interconnected system of pedestrian and cycling

paths

• Prioritize walking and biking as safe, viable, and enjoyable modes of

transportation and recreation throughout the community

• Create more green streets: good streetscapes provide

texture/color/vibrance; trees/landscaping for shade; a comfortable
place to stroll, sit, eat, relax, shop; amenities such as benches, tables,
and chairs that provide activity at the street;

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3- Mobility.. 3- Mobility..
Ease of movement Ease of movement

3. Improve Walkability, bikeability

Improving walkability and bikeability of streets will improve wellbeing of

residents,

• Create a continuous, interconnected system of pedestrian and cycling

paths

• Prioritize walking and biking as safe, viable, and enjoyable modes of

transportation and recreation throughout the community

• Create more green streets: good streetscapes provide

texture/color/vibrance; trees/landscaping for shade; a comfortable
place to stroll, sit, eat, relax, shop; amenities such as benches, tables,
and chairs that provide activity at the street;

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3- Mobility.. 3- Mobility..
Ease of movement Ease of movement

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4- Legibility
• legibility is about making cities, neighbourhoods and districts easily
navigable and practical. Good urban design should ensure that plot
sizes and building shapes are not overly complex, with a clear hierarchy
of streets, spaces, use and scale
• A legible place has a clear image and is easy to understand: To
promote legibility through development that provides recognisable routes,
intersections and landmarks to help people find their way around.
4- Legibility
• Kevin Lynch in his book “The Image of the City (1960)” presented 5
elements that makes a city legible, which are: Districts Paths, Edges,
Landmarks and Nodes
• Lynch's legibility concept is a result of a 5-year experiment on how
people understand the city's physical structure as they navigate through.
He concluded people understood their surrounding cityscape in creating
mental maps of the five physical elements

• Urban legibility relates to the question of “Orientation”

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How to present a
4- Legibility legibility map ->

Paths: Streets, sidewalks, trails, and other channels in which

people travel. Paths can contribute to legible design when they
have a distinguished character

Edges: perceived boundaries such as walls, buildings, and

shorelines;

Districts, relatively large sections of the city distinguished by

some identity or character. This can be its architecture (old,
modern, high/low building, dark/pale colors...etc), its use note that the legend
(residential, commercial...etc includes only five
categories (+ site).

Nodes, focal points, intersections or loci;

Landmarks, readily identifiable objects which serve as external

reference points. It can be a high monument or even a famous shop.

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4- Legibility 4- Legibility
▪ To enhance legibility and Wayfinding in the city
▪ International practices
Street design and layout must accommodate everyday needs of community, with
clear reference points and landmarks enabling ease of navigation. Wayfinding
should look natural, with street signage and furniture that makes orientation
intuitive, allowing people to feel both ​‘comfortably lost’ and ​‘reassuringly found’.

Legible London information panels clarify the information pedestrians need to plan
their journey.

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4- Legibility 4- Legibility

Bristol Legible City projects include direction signs, on street information panels
with city and area maps, printed walking maps, visitor information identity and arts
Legible London Mapping designed for pedestrians is key to helping people navigate projects. These projects communicate the city consistently and effectively to visitors
the city and residents alike..

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Group discussion

Questions

What is legibility? name legible areas, spaces in

the city?

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Next week assignment

1. Character of Ismailia City

2. Character of the Study Area

3. Kevin Lynch legibility analysis of the study area

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