Six Assessments of the Same Places: Comparing Views of Urban Design

How might an urban environment be evaluated visually? What different stories might be told when using different assessment techniques? Since the 1960s, researchers and others have developed a rich array of design evaluation approaches. This paper uses six different tools to measure three transit station area environments. Some focus mainly on visual issues such as colour, complexity and dominance. Others are more concerned with urban design features and qualities related to how people use environments. Together they provide a rich vocabulary for describing and assessing various design types and strategies such as transit-oriented development.