New book

[Ron Force <rforce@uidaho.edu>]

Visioneers may be interested in a new book:  "The Evaluative Image of
the City" by Jack Nasar.  Sage Publications, 1998 (UI Library HT 166 N35
1998).  Nasar is a professor of city and regional planning at Ohio
State.

His research dealt with Knoxville and Chattanooga.  He interviewed
randomly chosen residents and visitors to each city about what they
liked and disliked visually. He did map overlays of liked and disliked
areas. He then enveloped five factors that determined the likeability of
a city scene.  Both residents and visitors had similar preferences. 
People disliked areas that had a lot of parking lots, billboards,
industry, congestion, and a lack of coherent styles.  They liked areas
with lots of plants and trees, views of rivers and mountains, well-kept
buildings, and a sense of organization and order.

He reviews studies that show that a city's appearance of disorder and
neglect can heighten sensory overload, stress, and fear among residents
and visitors.

In an interview, he says, "American live with visual disorder all around
us.  We may have learned to accept it, adapt to it, or turn a blind eye
to it, but I believe we would find more enjoyment in more agreeable
surroundings..."

"Alone, each new building or sign may appear harmless or even desirable,
but when they are all put together they appear ugly. A good example is
the strip shopping centers that appear in every city..."

"Leaders should use a consumer polling approach to see how the public
responds to city features.  This consumer-oriented approach would make
design controls more acceptable to everyone and result in more appealing
cities."