The Effects of Colors on the Quality of Urban Appearance

Abstract

Today, colors play a major role in elevating the quality of urban environment, by providing a milieu for citizens’ interactions in public places. Public places are considered as one of the important components of urban design. Utilization of colors in urban spaces creates a sensation full of vivacity and calmness on the citizens. Designers’ innovative use of colors in urban spaces, enlarges observers’ perception of the surroundings. Colors can be considered as important constituents for shaping identity and creating a favorable and unified space in urban areas. This article, with reliance to the theories of urban design, investigates the impacts of colors on the qualitative indicators of urban landscapes, and the goal is to reach some basic criteria for purposeful utilization of colors in urban areas. The method of investigation for this article is descriptive-analytic, and data gathering is based on library research. The results have shown that colors are the most pivotal elements which can create unifying atmospheres, or distinguish and differentiate places from each other. Therefore, for correct use of colors in urban spaces, designers and planners should plan a comprehensive color pattern, based on scientific research and expert analysis. To achieve this mean, regional conditions, native features of the region and local identity should be considered by the designer.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n5p225