Methods of Planning Analysis
Description
Use observational methods to qualitatively describe two images (or two sets of images) related to urban development and planning issues in a place.
Observe the assigned images on your own for a while and quickly write down the important aspects or qualities you have identified about the place. These aspects or qualities are what Gaber and Gaber often refer to as “visual variables” or “spatial variables” in Chapter 3Actions .
They may include human behavior, physical design, spatial quality, social interaction (or lack thereof), etc. Then, with your partner, exchange observation notes.
Share with your partner the variables identified. Finally, go back to the images and observe some more and do so on your own.
For each image (or each set of images), write a brief observational memo (about 350 and 500 words).
Your description should include the following:
Write an effective caption that describes the essence of what the images show. No more than two sentences.
Write a paragraph that describes those important aspects or qualities that are the focus of your observation.
The paragraph description should “decode” the images (see Gaber and Gaber, Chapter 3 “Photographic Research”)Actions .
This means the description should include the following two components:
What the images show (i.e., denotation).
What you think the images suggest about the place, the potential planning issue(s), the development dynamics.
In other words, the paragraph should qualitatively describe the place and shed some light on the potential urban and planning issue(s)and/or processes.
Include your own interpretation and framing when it is appropriate.
For each description, make sure to include at least two direct quotations from the required readings to support your observation, interpretation, and the problems or dynamics you identify.
Each description should be about 350 and 500 words.
Maximum number of words: 1,000.
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