Cognitive studies in urban design

The main idea of environmental psychology is understanding the perception, cognition and the way of visual thinking mechanisms of inhabitants, and observing their experiences and behaviors in urban spaces. Accordingly, this approach enables urban designers to create positive places and design environmental and human-friendly public spaces. The aim of this chapter is to describe the cognitive dimensions of urban design and present recent cognitive applications for urban design. This research has roots from cognitive mapping to neuroscience. Current debates focus on how our visual world has changed in recent years. Innovations related to visual simulations from virtual reality to augmented reality are the contemporary design issues. These subjects are newly positioning in urban design. In this chapter, it has been determined that while the new technologies affect the human cognitive process and urban design, the designer should seek a balance between nature, environment, human expectations, and innovation, and consequently establish a holistic relationship among them. © Peter Lang AG 2019