Design plays an important role in facilitating (or inhibiting) the performance of social
activities in urban open spaces. Although recent literature has acknowledged that visual
and non-visual sensory aspects should be taken into account in the design of
environments, most theory, practice and teaching of urban design have focused on the
visual qualities of spaces. Furthermore, design processes have often been based on the
practitioners own intuitions and preferences instead of knowledge of how people interact
with urban open spaces.
The present research demonstrates that an approach to the multisensory design of urban
open spaces responsive to user needs and preferences is feasible and holds the promise
of guiding best practice in the creation of high-quality gathering urban open spaces. Using
structured interviews, unstructured observation, behavioural mapping techniques, sketch
maps and an innovative sensory-behavioural mapping technique, this research identifies
fundamental urban design elements and qualities to inform a responsive multisensory
approach to design.
The methodology proposed is hoped to motivate practitioners to apply environment
behaviour knowledge throughout the process of multisensory urban design in different
cultural contexts. Further, the urban design elements (props, boundaries, landmarks,
spaces, atmospheres, views, anchors and repellents) that emerged from the present
study as supportive of social activities in urban open spaces are applicable to the design
of most gathering urban open spaces while robustness, richness and legibility are
identified as key urban design qualities in attracting and retaining people in these spaces
due to their responsiveness to various user needs and preferences