Water in Landscape Design, its Effect on the Placemaking

Abstract

AbstractThe current study is within the landscape architecture area and focus on placemaking that aims at creating interactive and urban environments to encourage the people to use them again. These are characterized by being retainable and distinguished with its symbols and significance and context related. Literature have pointed out the role of water as an important natural element in landscape as being related with sensual and spiritual aspects in addition to its vitality and comfort that makes the receiver experience something new. However, and despite referring to the importance of the well designed built environment on placemaking, these literature have not deeply dealt with the details that enable the designers to use water in placemaking. Water is examined as a designing element through deeply dealing with the designing elements and potentials to be used. Then, a theoretical approach, including all the affecting aspects, is constructed and relation indicators are derived. Various animated water scenes are designed and processed with computer software to add audio impacts and a questionnaire was made. Results have shown the efficiency of the water designing preparations with complexity related mechanisms within various levels (formal, visual, audio, tactile) and the efficiency of investing formal transformation, sequence, rhythm, light coloring, dynamism, reflection and historical heritage use with various impacts of each on receiver in placemaking