5th/6th Street Livability & Circulation Study
Developing the Visual Character of the 5th/6th Street Corridor
Visual Assessment Exercise
Our environment is comprised of various physical site characteristics that shape our emotional response. In identifying aesthetic elements from within our environment, there are basic emotional experiences that lead us to prefer certain elements over others.
Studies indicate visual preferences are based on the ease of interpreting or reading the surrounding environment. In other words, if there are elements in the environment that are confusing or contradictory or otherwise not easily readable, this may cause us to feel uneasy or uncomfortable. Without stopping to analyze the various elements that make up the composition of the environment, in many cases, we automatically evaluate the following elements:
- sense of enclosure
- style
- balance
- proportion
- movement
- dominance of elements
- economy of elements
- dimension or scale
- character
As subjective as these interpretations of environmental information are, we can begin to develop general visual preferences from group choices.
CCAG members were given disposable cameras with instructions to take snapshots of streetscape, landscape and urban design characteristics they found appealing or unappealing. The emphasis was to identify those areas that were appealing. An interpretation of the collective aesthetic preferences were ultimately organized into the following categories:
- architectural character
- alternate mode elements
- landscape
- pedestrian elements
- public rt
- urban form
- urban furniture
The CCAG also identified scenes that were not aesthetically pleasing and these elements fell into two categories:
- missed opportunities
- safety issues
Students from Mansfeld Middle School and Rincon High School also participated in the exercise by commenting on what they liked/disliked or agreed/disagreed about the pictures taken by the CCAG members in each respective category.
The Visual Assessment exercise was also presented at the public Community forums. A questionnaire was developed as an additional method to register the public’s input on visual preferences during these Community forums. Attendees were asked to identify the top three elements important to the visual/environmental quality of 5th/Street. The three elements ranked the highest during the forums were:
- Landscape/Streetscape
- Pedestrian Elements
- Educations Corridor (description of concept follows)
The result of the Visual Assessment was a prevailing desire to establish public spaces that are pedestrian friendly in all aspects of comfort, safety and appearance. By creating pedestrian-friendly places throughout the corridor, the connection between the physical roadway and adjacent land uses can be established and/or strengthened.
In summary, during all the public input phases, the groups have been in agreement placing high preference in elements of landscape/streetscape and considerations for shade and reducing heat-island effects of urban areas.
The Visual Assessment begins to shape the Guiding Principles. The Guiding Principles provide the framework for organizing pedestrian features, landscaping, and other functional elements within a consistent visual context that can be applied throughout the 5th/ 6th Street corridor.
