ABSTRACT
How does the physical form of places contribute to the environmental and visual experiences of the people who use them? Are the townscape characteristics and the spatial qualities of the public realm important to our perception of places? Do they influence the environmental conditions of those places as well as the way in which they are used? This chapter explores some of the key factors and the way they may contribute to our understanding and enjoyment of places. It considers the appraisal and understanding of places and goes on to explore these in practice with reference to examples and case studies. Some of the themes explained in this chapter have been developed from Chapman and Larkham’s introductory guide to urban design [1].
