From “la Dérive” to Virtual Reality: Representing the Urban Walk Between Reality, Senses and Imagination

The aim of the chapter is to investigate on different forms of representation for visualizing and communicating urban space experience by walking: for example, the International Situationists collages, the “observational sketches” – drawings quick or more detailed done along the route of the walk - the Gordon Cullen’s “serial visions”, videos and lastly digital tools, like virtual reality, comparing their different features in depicting the environment by views in motion. Such investigation arises from a need of qualitative representations both to describe the real urban space and to visualize changes, visions and project solutions in urban and environmental design projects. In fact, beyond the conventional ways to represent the city on the map – and overall by quantitative parameters – the subjective views, taken along a walk, can merge, perception, memory and imagination, so reconnecting the topographical components to the psychological ones and definitively exploring the relationship between people and places. In such perspective, the different and various ways to represent the urban walk are not only graphic outputs but also vehicle of ideas, views, practices of the city. In other words, it is possible to look at those forms of representation as conceptual representations, able to see, analyze and describe reality and beyond, and to express both the tangible and intangible in a urban context, employing senses, memory and imagination. So the chapter, assuming such point of view about representation, will take in consideration some traditional and digital techniques, tools and outputs used in depicting urban walks, showing their theoretical background as well. A further consideration about the potentialities of virtual reality will be done, analyzing and comparing their differences in respect of the traditional ones. As conclusion, the chapter intends to focus on the usability today of such forms of representing urban walks, the traditional and innovative ones, or their possible combination, in order to better express experiences and visions of the city.