The image of an environment, whatever its’ history or location may be, is extremely reliant on the different associations and experiences people have had within that environment. This is a theory that is also discussed in ‘The Image of the Environment” by Denis Wood and Kevin Lynch. It is explained that within a city, nothing is experienced by itself. Countless other conditions, senses, and experiences are connected and effect that of the city. This is why everyone’s opinion of an environment differs in some way, if not many ways. It is also interesting to think about the fact that we are a part of the image of an environment to every other person as well. Every interaction we have relates to every other, which then relates to a person’s opinion and association with a time, place, or environment. The city is compiled of 2 parts, or groups of people also; the people who experience living in the city and the people who constantly add to the city and continue to help build the actual structures that make up the city. My perception of a city has changed over the years and this is due to my many different experiences within one. I’ve had years where I hated the city I lived in because I was going through a hard time. There have also been times where I fell in love with the city all over again because I was in a good place or a new place. Thinking about my different opinions of the city made me realize that the image of an environment is forever-changing and constant. Reading “The Image of an environment” also helped me understand why in my seminar class (when each student had to draw their own mental maps of NY) all of our maps looked and turned out differently.
