Victor Ofoegbu
"Using desire lines to understand post design faults: A case study of UCD Ireland"
Understanding and improving the environment to promote pedestrian circulation will be increasingly necessary as designers respond to the sustainability agenda. However, the multidimensional connection between people and their developed landscape is fundamental in the campus landscapes, where pedestrian traffic is high. This research anticipates more varied mobility, more exercise, and better access to the outdoor environment, which is relevant to the endeavours to adjust climate change. The study investigates pedestrian movement, utilising desired lines to understand design faults and propose methods to create a more pedestrian-centric design process. Consistently, the outdoor spaces of the UCD accommodate movement across its pathways and fields there, witnessing desire lines. These desire lines occur unintentionally by the collective movement of individuals. This variety of desire lines reveals significant information about pedestrians' conduct and landscape use. The observation of the users of the landscape (pedestrians and bicycles), discloses the reasons for the desire lines.
As the observation spreads out, the study points to investigating design faults and graphing how to mitigate these desired lines. By handling the influence of desire lines, the study envisions a future where landscape design will be less subject to unpredictable desire line formation and become more responsive to the movement of its pedestrians. Through investigation and improvement, this thesis endeavours to raise the landscape design of UCD to a more pedestrian-centric environment. The UCD Ireland landscape is a good study site, situated amidst slopes and green scenes and is full of activity. Here, students rush between classes, workers follow their everyday timetables, and visitors use the landscape with interest. The developed landscape can significantly enhance pedestrian experiences, affecting how individuals associate with their natural environments. Desire lines, an informal pathway created by people's movement, are an excellent instrument for understanding design faults. They reveal pedestrians' natural propensities, offering information about the success or failures of the landscape plan. Landscape architects can uncover hidden patterns and approaches to create more responsive and pedestrian-driven landscapes.
This study maps out the various typologies of desire lines within the UCD landscape through critical field observation and data collection. Each desire line tells a story, uncovering pedestrians' necessities. Desire lines also reveal areas that need more planning. Obstructed roads and underutilised spaces are among the challenges recognised through the investigation. By understanding these shortcomings, landscape architects gain significant insight into improving the landscape to serve pedestrians. The data collection methods in this thesis follow an established research model by combining secondary description, multiple observation strategies, and a public survey to enhance and strengthen the evidence and findings for this research. Researchers investigate the factors influencing pedestrian direction by analysing data from field observation, pedestrian studies, and spatial arranging systems.
Regarding mitigation of desire lines, post-development improvement approaches such as signage, lighting, alternative designs, fences (walls and hedge rolls), and formalisation can be utilised by landscape architects. The study highlights the significance of development analysis in the future planning cycle. Landscape architects can ensure that proposed mediations align with the various necessities of the UCD community by including students, personnel, managers, and other ground partners. Overall, the investigation of desire lines offers a structure for further developing the landscape design of UCD Ireland. By studying and understanding the paths made by pedestrians, landscape architects can create more responsive, natural, and functional spaces. Through a blend of investigation and coordinated effort, this thesis suggests landscape architects can transform the UCD landscape into a dynamic and inviting plan that improves the circulation within its environment.