ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the importance of visual quality in the built environment. It presents the attributes of legibility and imageability, the processes of perception and cognition, the concepts of user preference and user satisfaction, and the dimensions of aesthetic evaluation applied to analyse the appearance of streetscapes. The chapter also discusses the use of vague and ambiguous expressions in aesthetic evaluations and the influence of user background on perception and evaluation of the built environment. The concepts of legibility and imageability concern an exploration of how people use and visualize the built and natural environment. The concepts of preference and satisfaction are applied to evaluate the visual quality of the built and natural environment. Deborah Stevenson said ten years ago that in architecture and urban design, many postmodern buildings and public spaces have attempted to create built environments which can be relevant to local communities.
