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Whether we are aware of it or not design affects all aspects of our lives. Design is not only a function of space planning it is also a visual art and aesthetics play a key role in good design.
Your home’s design and aesthetic appearance are a reflection of you, your culture, your personality and your feelings about yourself and your environment. If we are not educated designers we are still creating our home environment based on what we find pleasing to the eye and how well we function in the space.
Most of us also take care with the exterior of our homes, which is often referred to as “curb appeal,” or how your home appears from the street to a passerby. With that in mind, we make sure that our house is painted nicely, perhaps we have plants and flowers near the entry door, and we make sure that the lawn is not overgrown with weeds.
The same curb appeal theories apply to cities and communities.
When you enter a city or community you are presenting an aesthetic image to the visitor and what they see will tell them a lot about your city. Do the roads have potholes, is there trash in the streets, does the landscaping consist mostly of weeds. These would be signs of a city in decline and would not make a very positive impression.
Another aspect of curb appeal aesthetics that many cities worldwide have taken note of and have addressed is signage. Signage in many communities has reached “litter” status and is commonly referred to as visual pollution. Visual pollution occurs when signage detracts from architecture, nature’s vistas, or generally creates a feeling of clutter and neglect. Take a look at this video link by scenic.org for an overview of this topic.
Most cities in Europe and many in the US and Canada have enacted signage restrictions. Sao Paulo, Brazil, the 5th largest city in the world has a ban on all signage and billboards! Most cities will not be as bold as Sao Paulo however, if cities are smart, especially cities that cater to tourists, they will pay close attention to the impression they make upon visitors. Signage control is a major aesthetic issue and must be included in any city planning efforts and must be controlled and managed in order to present a welcoming, clean, and energetic impression.
2010 is a year of new beginnings so let’s make a pledge to clean up our communities and reduce visual pollution! Salud!
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