Spatial thinking and representation of space: towards sustainable contemporary urban environments

This paper explores the patterns and discrepancies in cognitive mapping and representations of urban space, emphasizing the benefits of adopting a bottom-up approach towards creating sustainable urban neighbourhoods in Durban Central and Chatsworth, South Africa. The theoretical framework combines the concepts of perceiving space, imageability, spatial legibility and cognitive mapping. A mixed-method approach combining mental mapping with interviews from the survey questionnaire was employed. Participant responses reflect metaphors such as city of contrast, city of attraction, city of movement and pleasant city. The findings demonstrate the usefulness of mental maps for understanding resident-space interactions, providing insights for designing inclusive neighbourhoods.