Wayfinding system design in the urban environment : combining external features and internal representations to enhance cities’ unique image

Liu, Jingyuan and Cureton, Paul and Pollastri, Serena (2025) Wayfinding system design in the urban environment : combining external features and internal representations to enhance cities’ unique image. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

A city’s image is constructed from a process of wayfinding. The city image is an important research area, for urban planning, but also for legibility and mobility for citizens. Wayfinding was a term coined by Kevin Lynch to refer to the process of finding one’s way between places. Lynch’s work and methods have been used as an approach for people to understand and cognise cities. However, there is a research gap on how place-based wayfinding can be designed visually to contribute to understanding of the city. The visual elements include physical signage, mapping both digital and analogue as well as the built environment as iconography amongst other elements. This thesis focuses on the process and experience of wayfinding in the city to establish a new design method and framework for application. The thesis employs mixed methods research to establish a design framework including, back casting to review the past to look forward and understand urban futures. The thesis tests and reviews Kevin Lynch’s approach to wayfinding and his city legibility system, which includes the five elements (paths, nodes, districts, edges, and landmarks). A case study of Manchester England and wayfinding workshops are also utilised. The thesis findings emerged through investigation of a city centre site in Manchester, UK, and the cultural districts were selected as a research context. Data was collected in two parts: through thirteen walking interviews in Manchester city centre with a total of seventeen participants. Three workshops were also undertaken with a total of thirty-two participants. Results indicated the viability of Lynch’s wayfinding methods which are still relevant today as a basis for designing wayfinding system. However, certain extension and variances occurred. The mixed methods approach findings demonstrated that when people wayfind in the urban environment, they extract information from their surroundings to not only support movement but also as an essential medium of perceiving the city, which includes buildings, streets, shops, heritage, districts, and the salient artefacts represented by maps, signages, texts and posters. This extracted information supports the wayfinding process as well as understanding of the city, which should be integrated into wayfinding system design. From the data and results of wayfinding images of various areas in Manchester city centre a framework was established for a wayfinding system. The images derived four elements: point, line, plane, and timing from the data analysis which correlates with Lynch approaches but also contains variances and extension. These four elements imply tiers of wayfinding system design and correspond to diverse design methods that include signage, icon and graphic design, information design, direction guide design and cartography. Combining the four elements with the design approaches, this thesis proposes a design framework. The outcome of this thesis is a set of cards, namely the Wayfinding System Design Support Cards (WSDSC), based on this framework. WSDSC is intended as a tool to support and assist the design of urban wayfinding systems. The WSDSC was tested twice in the Mill Race area of Lancaster, with one participant each time. The contribution of this thesis to knowledge is that based on the work of Kevin Lynch, the design method of wayfinding systems is expanded. Four elements are proposed as a design framework and a deck of cards with clear instructions was produces to assist designing wayfinding systems with cultural districts as the core to enhance people’s experience in the city and thus enhance the cities’ unique image.