According to Cliff Ellis (Ellis, 1989), city is a centre for storage, trading and manufacturing activities, which is the basis of human development in culture, arts, scientific research and technical innovation. It also contributes as a communication centre, where new ideas and information are presented. According to Amanda Briney (Briney A, 2008), City is an area that provides people with various sources and institutions. It is also a centre with high population of people and associated with features such as job places, culture, politics and lifestyle.
Development of a city is often associated with an image which is an introduction to a particular city. To identify the town is through early impression could draw attention that there are features in the town. For cities that have images, it can provide an overview of identity as well as the introduction of the city itself.
According to Kevin Lynch in his book “The Image of the City” (Lynch 1960), he stated that the image of the city is a two-way process between observers with nature. Images can be categorized into three components, namely the identity, structure and purpose. One image that works requires a flag which has a different nature with the other. Both images must include fill space or relationship between objects by observers as well as to other objects. Eventually the object must have a purpose to observers whether practical or emotional.
According to Henry Sanoff (Sanoff, H. 1991), images of the city can affect the city’s identity as shape, color, arrangement of buildings able to create a clear image of the environment of a city. It can produce appropriate and attractive images. In the context of the image of the city, it is important to ensure a balanced relationship between the existing and new elements to ensure that the physical elements or urban environment that can be strengthened. The image of a city is something that can give impacts and easy to remember. It is important for the development of the city to give something new for the image. The correct image of the city can be used as the basis for new community living to build harmonious relations and culture is important for the image of the city (Szekely G, 2013: 123).
For the realization of the image of a city, it is necessary to give impacts and easily remembered with various interpretations that can be made to the urban environment in order to create a positive atmosphere. Therefore, with our development and enhancing the image of the city, identifying the image and urban design found in the study area to create a city that has its own image is a must.
1.2 Problem Statement
The image of the city is very important in creating its own identity. It must have the elements of art, uniqueness and beauty that can be observed from the point of visual. The elements should be able to fulfil the criteria of needs and appearance of a uniform and interesting city in order to create its own image. According to Lynch (1960), shaping an image of a city requires elements such as landmarks, nodes, districts, paths and edges. These elements describe the city’s own image and identity.
In the study by Mona Helmy (Helmy, 2008), the image of a city is also associated with the combination of the characteristics of a particular quality or special features, in which will form a concept for the city. The features include elements like the format interfaces, colour, the skyline and cultural content that will also help to create a good image of the city.
In accordance with the opinion of Reman Mohammed Rehan (Rehan, 2014), the city today is always evolving and competitive with each other to establish a good image. The process of strengthening the image of the city requires the combination of physical properties and environmental aspects such as the nature, social, economic and cultural environment. Urban image integrates socio-cultural, economic, and environmental themes into the city. It can symbolizes a social life with harmonious relationship and bring image to the culture. It is important for the development of the city which can give the impression that ever experienced and new for the image (Szekely G, 2013:123).
Nowadays, there are many cities that do not have their own public image, thus making them look similar with each other. Even though they look attractive, but they are lacking in their own city image or meanings that represent the uniqueness of the particular place. In distinguishing a city with another, it needs to have its own identity that brings meaning to represent that particular city.