Study of Townscape Assessment as a tool for Urban Development

Abstract

Townscape as a theory has been inactive in general academic context since the 1970s down to the beginning of the 21^st century. However, its application has become of significant value in monitoring and control of rapid urbanization and globalization. It may be likened to the concept and definition of “Landscape”, which is described through an artist’s eyes as not only the representation of individual objects perceived on a piece of land, rather it visualizes the whole elements on the land together within the characteristics of aesthetic values. This suggests that the primary objective of Townscapes is the representation of urban attractiveness or aesthetics. This paper reviews the concept of Townscape through its historical undertones down to its application as a tool for evaluating urban development in the context of aesthetical values. A literature review method is adopted for the purpose of this study whereby the study is divided into a theoretical construct, visual translations, and assessment function. The resultant idea of this study presents Townscape thinking as a tool that is adoptable for urban visual perception by creating essential nexus between historical, theoretical and contemporary urban development scenarios.