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URBAN PLANNING IN IRONFORGE AND UNDERCITY

This project examines two virtual urban spaces in the popular online game World of Warcraft, identifying the degree to which they have capitalized on Kevin Lynch’s urban design tenets and demonstrate how the application of these principles determines the imageability and experiential success of virtual urban spaces.

While both circular cities, Ironforge is significantly more popular and navigable than the Undercity. Ironforge demonstrates greater mastery of the principles established by Kevin Lynch, and as such it is easier to build a spatial understanding and mental image. Undercity does not demonstrate these qualities, and is iconic as a labyrinthine and undifferentiated set of nested rings. With that in mind, Kevin Lynch's principles can be used (or ignored) to influence to desired urban quality.

ironforge undercity-01.png
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