The sensitive city Exploration through the urban sensory Section Article

Abstract

Exploring the city through the urban sensory is a relevant subject for contemporary research regarding the complexities of built environment. Over time, theorists and practitioners having different educational backgrounds have questioned in what way urban space and social structures are interrelated and how to address the issues they raised perspective in order to determine the proper problem-solving methods.

The main focus of this paper is on analyzing literature related to human and urban perception and comparing the 19^th and 20^th century ideas that have a great influence on how cities are documented today. In order to do that, a multidimensional approach has been used: for the theoretical dimension of the city George Simmel and Emile Durkheim are relevant whereas the literary dimension of it is well illustrated by Benjamin Walter and Henri Lefebvre. The cognitive and social dimensions of the city are eloquently portrayed by Juhani Pallasmaa, Kevin Lynch or Jane Jacobs. Although the physical features of a city are important for how people perceive their surroundings, this paper examines in what way both visual comprehension and social interactions define spatial perception by creating a sense of place.

To select the most relevant concepts and approaches to urban sensory, personal observations, literature survey and qualitative research have been used. To determine the relationships and connections between the built environment and its inhabitants, further studies will be pursued through the process of planning and developing a research proposal for dissertation. 

The topic discussed in this paper is relevant as it concludes with the idea that cities mirror social realities while humans are struggling to adapt the fast-changing environment.