Complex-Based Gestalt Principle of Urban Visual Analysis: A Review

Abstract

In the discipline of urban design application, the Gestalt principle implied in the traditional visual analysis pathway is a microscopic description of the interaction between the visual subject and object. The theory of complex adaptive system is generally a macroscopic description of the interaction between the visual subject and object. Gestalt principle in the microscopic sense, when integrated into the complex scientific viewpoint, can effectively characterize the evolution of urban visual elements and therefore enhance the performance of its functions. The focus points of this article are as follows: (1) The consistency between Gestalt principle and the integration principle in city as a complex system was reviewed. (2) By investigating the visual features of the city in various periods, the depth and width of the application of Gestalt principle of vision over time was discussed. (3) A systematic review of the existing tools for visual analysis was given. The integrated organization role and the self-similarity rule based on Gestalt principle were extracted. (4) A possibility of constructing a comprehensive tool for vision adaptability analysis was predicted from the perspective of complex system.