What Makes Cities Visually Appealing?

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), March, 1999

A study of residents and visitors by Jack Nasar, professor of city and regional planning, Ohio State University, Columbus, has identified five factors that make a city visually appealing. The results suggest that most U.S. cities don't do very well on visual appeal and are sending messages of "dullness and disorder. Usually, public officials overlook the appearance of their cities because they think it is a matter of taste and that it isn't very important. However, research shows appearance is very important and that people generally agree about what makes a city look appealing."

The findings showed that the most-liked parts of cities include some of these five elements: nature, open space, historical significance, a sense of order, and evidence of good upkeep. People tend to dislike areas that have numerous parking lots, billboards, industry, congestion, and a lack of coherent styles. They favor areas with a lot of plants and trees, views of rivers and mountains, and well-kept buildings.

The problem is that most U.S. cities don't pay enough attention to their appearance, Nasar believes. "Americans live with visual disorder all around us.... We may have learned to accept it, adapt to it, or turn a blind eye to it, but I believe we would find more enjoyment in more agreeable surroundings."

Improving the visual quality of a city is not just good for aesthetics, he indicates. Studies have shown that a city's appearance of disorder and neglect can heighten sensory overload, stress, and fear among residents and visitors.

Although many cities have some sort of design review to control appearance, these boards are hampered by a lack of public input. "Leaders should use a consumer polling approach to see how the public responds to city features. This consumer-oriented approach would make design controls more acceptable to everyone and result in more appealing cities."