ASSESSING SPATIAL CONFIGURATIONS OF THE URBAN STREETSCAPES FOR GENDER INCLUSIVITY

Abstract

Gender inequalities in the public spaces can initiate other factors that affect the overall quality and functioning of the urban environment. This proposition can be reviewed with an interdisciplinary approach after acquiring an accurate understanding of the research carried out pertaining to the impact of urban development on the gender of the inhabitants and vice versa. Experience and relationship with the surrounding environment affect one’s perception and recognition thereby influencing their affiliation towards it. It is suggestive that these interpretations differ greatly between different genders due to various moderators such as biological tendencies, social structure and priorities, culture-based dominance and individual behaviour etc. But these contrasting perspectives over the time have given rise to inequality by normalizing the patriarchal supremacy over the female community across the world. With the rapid pace of urbanization, the cities and towns grew to adapt similar tendencies of inequalities restricting women in various ways. These gender differences could be manifested three dimensionally in the urban environment through imageability, mapping and navigation, wayfinding etc. accountable to their varied experiences of the urban environments.