The Effect of Advertising Signs on the Urban Scene of Cities Centers (Al Bab Al Sharqi – Al Tahrir Square) Case Study

The research represents an applied study to the urban scene of Baghdad city center within the area of (Al Bab Al Sharqi – Al Tahrir Square) through studying and identifying the levels of the reciprocal correlation of advertising signs impact on urban scene , then finding out the indicators and potential values which have made advertising signs as positive value by achieving the mechanisms of visual quality or a negative value by achieving mechanisms of visual pollution. And then examining the resulted visual perception defect reforming mechanism from it and identify the basic elements represented of the laws and legislation known worldwide. When presenting the problem, The research depends on: (Lack of clear perception about the definition of advertising signs concept and their design characteristics (Semantic) impact on achieving the relationship of perceptual contact with the individual (recipient) in addition to its contribution in enhancing the visual quality and reducing the visual pollution situation on urban scene of the cities centers. In order to solve the research problem, the objective outlined as follows: (Reaching to building up an integrated theoretical model, by which the foundations and mechanisms of the main act of advertising signs are determined as communication and perception act between the individual (recipient) and urban scene , and their impact level on the scene in accordance with the concept of visual quality and visual pollution). The research hypothesis is as follows: (Lack of harmony in the advertising signs' design characteristics (Semantic) affects the efficiency of their performance as a communicational and perceptual act, and on diminishing the visual quality and increasing the visual pollution situation in urban scene of cities centers). The research reached to a number of conclusions, mainly: Baghdad city center (represented by study area) suffers visual pollution caused by misuse of advertising signs as a result of lack of harmony in the design characteristics (Semantic) and lack of mechanisms which identifies the methods of advertising signs usage in a manner that preserves the aesthetic value of the area. The study concludes several recommendations for the use of the advertising signs effectively as a means of communication with the recipient meanwhile to maintain the visual quality and to reduce the resulting visual pollution situation