ABSTRACT
Chapter one introduces the physical and cultural factors that contribute to the composition of pedestrian connections in urban contexts. The discussion begins with a brief history of the urban grid order and the opportunities the orthogonal organization provided to evolving societies, East and West. Today the grid consists of a specific hierarchy of connection defined by arterials, collectors and locals. Each of these connections engage specific spatial influences and provide definition to the connections, including scale, form, surfaces, edges, and places. These and other factors help to provide both complexity and coherence along street connections, with benefits for legibility and walkability. Depending on the quality of connections, pedestrians may engage levels of interest and in some instances, moments of aesthetic experience, often the result of unique contemporary design applications. The chapter concludes with a general discussion of contemporary alternatives and their significance for pedestrian experience, and leads to the second chapter, with its focus on experiential function within the context of urban landscapes.
