IN-PERSON London. Section B

Abstract

In the 21st century, cities are increasingly focused on transforming their urban landscapes for sustainability and resident well-being. This contemporary urban metamorphosis can diverge significantly from traditional cityscapes, thereby challenging public perceptions, reactions, and adaptability to innovative designs. In the context of engineering entirely new urban landscapes, it is therefore important to understand the factors that render a cityscape relevant to its inhabitants, understand how individuals engage with their environment, and anticipate the urban experience that will ultimately emerge. This study integrates urban perception into the design phase of urban development, highlighting its role in influencing social sustainability, using The Line in Saudi Arabia as a specific case study. Using a novel “Triangulation of Urban Placemaking” research model, the researcher surveyed 73 individuals at the Neom Zero Gravity Urbanism exhibition in Venice. Respondents answered questions about their perception of The Line’s four key design characteristics: vertical living, urban density, walkability and high – speed rail, based on the models and imagery presented at the exhibition. The findings suggest that urban perception holds the capacity to impact social sustainability within modern urban environments. Notably, people’s engagement with a place begins prior to their physical encounter with a city, thus indicating the pivotal role of perception in the design phase of urban development. As a result, perception exerts influence on place branding, place identity and place attachment. The responses were further analysed to identify perceptual trends, offering literature based insights into the relationship between urban perception and placemaking practices.