Ruimtelijk sturen

Abstract

There is a difference between the physical environment one can experience on a daily base and the environment generalised in words and images. How we interpret our environment depends on the recognition of patterns. The perception and conception of space and time is highly related to the practice of urbanism and urban design. Through the years tools and techniques have been developed to deal with the complexity of the physical shape and form of the urban fabric. The temporal experience however still seems to be hard to represent in images. This has to do with the consumption of both time and space when the observer is in motion. The perception of time and space is something personal which is also influenced by speed. This makes interpretations about ‘identity’ and ‘meaning’ of the urban fabric hard. Therefore it is important to understand what exactly can be observed and how motion influences the perception. Techniques and tools that can capture and give insight on these matters are crucial for understanding this complexity. In this research different techniques are tested and developed for interpretation of different spatial entities of the specific physical context of the area in between Rotterdam and The Hague. This area has a potential in approaching regional spatial developments in a more qualitative way, by using visual-spatial instruments to give insight about the regional and local identities and the temporal experiences. Classic studies show that there is an opportunity for roads to become important in creating coherence and order at regional scales. During this research different combination of techniques are used to develop visual-spatial instruments (Visueel-Ruimtelijke Instrument). These instruments are bases on the same understanding, which is every observed context should first be captured (vastleggen), reduced (reduceren) in terms of visual information before finally the interpretation (interpreteren) of the visual matter can happen. This method will influence the cognitive process of perception and conception in a positive way. The instruments streamline the decision-making because spatial effects can be made explicit in an instant. These instruments however do need more research to refine them. The application of the instruments will either show their value or prove the fact that it is really hard to represent the temporal experience in two dimensional images.