A geographic appraisal of isovists in urban conservation areas

Abstract

This aim of this study is to show how isovist theory can be applied to study urban morphology in Urban Conservation Areas. Isovists can be described as the range or area of visibility from a particular view point. They provide a means by which space can be quantified and their study helps in understanding how people perceive and experience space. In this study isovist theory is used to understand what and how much can be seen within the particular environment created in the unplanned and organically developed local village setup. This is done in two ways; firstly by analysing the visibility of a large, imposing building such as the parish church from within the village. This shows how geographic aspects such as site and geometric factors such as height and distance, that are determined by village form, influence visibility. Secondly, by analysing the isovist areas generated at various locations within the village, an understanding can be obtained of how street shape and layout affect the amount of information obtained on the surroundings. Lastly, considering that local parish churches and urban conservation areas are considered as cultural heritage, the study tries to evaluate the above in relation to the concept of Weak Heritage. This refers to the conservation of those monuments in a city together with the surrounding buildings that provide their setting.