Line

Line noun (The Oxford Dictionary)

1a long, narrow mark or band

Mathematics a straight or curved continuous extent of length without breadth.

a direct course

a contour or outline considered as a feature of design or composition

Line Types (LCA Guidance)

Straight

Angular

Curved

Sinuous

Line?

As a group we defined line as:

The framework that composes a landscape

Outlining form

Connecting and dividing

Differentiating functions within the landscape

Directional or static

Orientating and leading

Working in a hierarchy

Line!

Theories - Bell, S. Landscape – Pattern, Perception and Process. 1999. E & FN Spon.

Theory

Gibson’s Theory of Optic Flow – Variable

information is perceived and related to

constant characteristics in the landscape (eg

a human, as the size is fixed). As we move,

the scene flows whilst maintaining a

correlation between the optic array (diagram

below) and our spatial position.

Figure and

Ground

Proximity

Closure

Similarity

Gesalt Psychology –

Complex images are

created from the

identification of edges.

Spatial cue diagram:

• Split the site into a grid and choose 10 areas at random to focus on, whilst also

noting the lines encountered travelling and in the distance.

• Discuss the lines visible throughout the journey and determine which are most

prominent to us

• Discuss how the lines work within the landscape to conclude which lines define

the areas

• Produce individual observations through 2 sketches per square, each

Collecting Lines

• We divided the site into a grid and chose 10 squares at almost random, with slight

adjustments to ensure an even spread. This method is similar to scientific field sampling,

where a quadrat is used to select an area within a site to sample from and the process is

repeated a set number of times. This process gives fair results to extrapolate from.

Grid

Site 1 Sketches

Site 2 Sketches

Site 3 Sketches

Site 4 Sketches

Site 5 Sketches

Site 6 Sketches

Site 7 Sketches

Site 8 Sketches

Site 9 Sketches

Site 10 Sketches

• Once we had completed our individual sketches we met as a group to analyse the output.

By cross referencing each sketch we determined which lines were the salient lines within

each area (1-10) as they had been drawn by all of us. We could also determine which lines

were important but less evident as they featured in at least 4 of the 8 sketches per area (1-

10)

Collated Sketches

• Divide site into character areas by collating the information from our

sketches

• Map the character areas across the entire site and determine the

boundaries

• Produce 3 long abstract cross sections through the site which are

condensed

• Produce an abstract model to demonstrate the composition of lines

within the site

Synthesis

• Using the graphical information from the collated sketches we decided upon our

character areas

• We created a graphic for each line type that could be repeated, for example

jagged continuous line:

• These areas are depicted by a line graphic which indicates the types of line

prevalent within each area and bears resemblance to the existing ratios between

the line types, as shown:

Character Areas

Character Map

Character Area A

Continuous series of fine lines

Bold curved and straight lines along the ground

plane

Masses of fragmented, uneven vegetation lines

Continuous even and uneven jagged lines

Character Area B Distinctive repeated

curved lines

Strong straight lines along the ground plane

Small masses of uneven vegetation lines –

horizontal and vertical

Short vertical lines

Character Area C Continuous roof lines

that change haphazardly

Strong and fine horizontal lines

Fragmented uneven vegetation lines

Short curved lines along the ground plane

Character Area D

Continuous series of fine lines

Bold curved lines along the ground

plane

High, uneven vegetation lines and short angled lines

Distinctive aerial curved lines and

long horizontal lines

Character Area E

Short series of fine lines and continuous uneven

lines

Bold long horizontal straight lines and angled

vertical lines

Angled aerial lines

Long straight ground lines

Character Area F Fragments of angled lines

Masses of uneven vegetation lines

Layers of curved lines

Uneven lines along the ground

plane

Character Area G Bold vertical lines

Strong curved and straight lines along the

ground plane

Short series of fine lines and fragmented uneven

lines

Short horizontal and vertical lines

1

2 3

Sections

D

1

2

3

Sections

Our model is an interactive wire maze game to allow users to re-enact the process of tracing

lines as we did. It demonstrates how the lines course across the site and each lines

duration. When the wire loop comes into contact with the maze, a red light shines through

the text cut out ‘Line’.

Model