Extending Kevin Lynch's Theory of Imageability; through an investigation of kampungs in Surabaya- Indonesia

This thesis has developed an extension to the theory set out by Kevin Lynch’s in his book ‘The Image of the City’ published in 1960. The extension has been undertaken by adding the factor ‘meaning’ through social symbols study to the observation of urban spaces. While Lynch’s theory focused on the legibility factor of urban spaces, this thesis focuses on the meaning factor of places that is attached to urban elements. Social symbol study has developed a framework to observe urban spaces in order to read and understand spaces. This framework is based on a combination of the study about perceived-conceived-lived spaces, and place attachment study. Empirical work has been undertaken in the setting of kampungs in Surabaya city, and with groups of young adults. The thesis showed that the recognition of urban elements based on legibility and meaning is different; and the elements that are legible are not automatically meaningful. For a specific social and physical urban condition such as the Indonesian kampungs, meaning observation is more crucial than legibility. Findings from this empirical work have contributed the consideration of the social factor to Lynch’s theory. The five physical urban elements of Lynch (paths, nodes, districts, edges, and landmarks), on which he based legibility, have been reinterpreted to become four social elements, namely ‘historical value’, ‘social spaces creation’, ‘territoriality creation’, and ‘point of references’. This extension, which this thesis calls Spatial Recognition, has added one new element, the ‘historical value’, and extended the meaning of Lynch’s five elements. Spatial Recognition aims not only to read the physical environment but also to understand society.