The Felt City: Sensory–Cognitive Mapping of Urban Atmospheres in İzmir, Turkey
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Abstract
This study investigates the multi-sensory atmospheric qualities of two pedestrian corridors in İzmir, Turkey—Kıbrıs Şehitleri Avenue and Bornova Street—and examines how sensory input interacts with emotional and cognitive processes in shaping urban experience. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combines an online questionnaire (n = 120) for case selection with in-situ aesthetic fieldwork based on guided walks and semi-structured elicitation (n = 20). The analytical framework is based on Böhme’s concept of atmosphere generators and is further extended through the notion of moodmosphere to capture cognitive–affective interpretations such as memory, attachment, and personal associations. Within this framework, the felt city is understood as an urban condition shaped through the interplay of sensory, cognitive, and affective processes.
The findings reveal a fragmented yet meaningful sensory landscape across both corridors. Visual stimuli emerge as the dominant mode of perception, while auditory and tactile inputs play a secondary role, and olfactory and gustatory cues appear more selectively. Rather than operating independently, sensory inputs are frequently mediated by memory and emotional associations, indicating that urban atmospheres are not only sensed but also cognitively and affectively constructed. Based on these findings, the study proposes a sensory–cognitive mapping approach that integrates subjective experiential data with systematically coded spatial observations. This approach contributes to expanding the understanding of the urban image beyond visually oriented models and supports the development of more integrated, multi-sensory design strategies that strengthen cognitive anchoring and place identity.
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