Original scientific paper
Aspects of environmental conceptualization; Defining elements of the image of Zagreb
Marijan Hržić
Abstract
This article examines questions of environmental conceptualization that define the boundaries and aims of researching the image of Zagreb.
Three processes - perception, cognition and spatIal behavior - are especially important in understanding human behavior, which can be viewed as the body's attempts to satisfy its perceived and cognltively organized needs.
Some material elements are easier to perceive than others, so itis necessary to identify urban characteristics that contribute to the development of its precise image.
The aim of this research, which lasted for several years, was to define characterisics of Zagreb's visual form. In this the question of the town's image takes a prominent place. This article presents for the first time conclusion sabout the image of Zagreb, based on polling third year (fifth semester) students of the Faculty of Architecture (28.10.1988).
There were 73 respondents, and they all got the same task: 'Make a rough sketch of the plan of Zagreb marking those elements of the town tha you consider specific'.
Respondents also had to note how long they had spent in Zagreb.
The basic aim of polling such a homogeneous group of respondents was to establish how often elements of the material town structure appear, to rank them (arranged in tables), and to make a synthetic mental model of Zagreb.
Individual images were not specially analyzed, but it was established that most had a flexible structure, with loose links. Some pictures had no structure and completely unconnected elements, and there were also those with a firm structure and many links.
Five groups, each containing five elements mos frequently mentioned (a total of25 elements), were syntheslzed from the generalized group of the 150 elements mentioned, and classified according to Lynch.
The author ends by concluding that links between the elements are stable. The constitution of the picture shows that Zagreb is a legible and picturesque town, but with many places that have no stronger identity and structure.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
30777
URI
Publication date:
30.1.1994.
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