Studio Brief 2 - The Land Travelling Exhibition - Gordon Cullen and Serial Vision

The Concise Townscape by Gordon Cullen 

Gordon Cullen was an English Architect appointed as head of the Typographic Panel for the Festival of Britain. His drawing technique, serial vision informed the way the maps for the Festival were created.


  

Serial Vision 

As a person moves through a space different views of the area are discovered.
New views are discovered even though a person is travelling at a uniform speed.
The scenery of towns is revealed in a series of revelations which is called serial vision. 
The aim of the drawing technique is to manipulate the elements of a town, creating emotional impact. 

A long straight road has little impact as the initial view is easily understood.
The human mind reacts to contrast which is created by comparing different aspects of the environment, this juxtaposition creates contrast.
A town is unified in a scientific or commercial point of view, however the optical view is split between the existing and emerging view.
When moving through space the effect created from the linking of views is usually accidental.
Instead the technique uses the art of relationship in which designers can mould the city into a narrative creating an emotional situation for the viewer.