Colour Identity in Urban Place
Published on by Johnny Xu
This project is based on the practice conducted from 2016 to 2018 during the PhD study. The research takes a visual ethnographic approach to the research question: how does colour contribute to constructing the place identity in urban environments? This guides the research towards an understanding of how colour functions through the visual dimension of urban design at macro-meso-mirco scales. The qualitative research is a practice-led case study inquiry of four representative places in the city of Leicester in the United Kingdom: Highcross, Narborough Road, Belgrave Road and King Power Stadium. These locations reflect complex urban settings in a diverse and yet typical UK city. The practice employs the use of digital technology as central to the creation of an immersive experience through photography and video. A combination of visual representations reflect a systematic colour analysis through contextualising the environmental colourscape. This archive also encourages other researchers to visualise and exchange their colour knowledge. In addition to the academic benefit, this study investigates the potential of these methods for future urban observation and research.
