To explore this question, Prof. Markus Pretnar traveled to 22 European cities in 10 countries along a north-south axis over a three-month period in the summer of 2015 and examined their color characteristics.
Landscapes typically feature colors characteristic of their region. The colors of a landscape are determined by the local flora, as well as geological and climatic characteristics. Rural settlements often reflect the colors of the surrounding landscape, as they are built using regional materials. One of the many definitions of the concept of “home” refers to the fact that place and color can merge in the “eye of the beholder”—usually a local resident—to form a perceived identity of a place. This is what is known as “colorful home,” or, as it was once called, “local color,” before the term was redefined as a synonym for a local social milieu.
Using panoramic images taken at twelve selected measurement points in each city—which were converted into pixel diagrams using software—the aim was to identify the respective “local color.” Conclusion: The cities are largely similar but differ in details. Distinctive shared color palettes are more common in the north than in the south.
Prof. Markus Pretnar reported on his journey and experiences during a lecture evening at the Zentrum Baukultur in the Brückenzentrum on June 20, 2016.
Other topics and speakers of the evening: “Local Color and Landscape” (Dipl. Ing. Hermann-Josef Ehrenberg), “Color” (Prof. Gerhard Meerwein), “Local Color on Stage” (Susanne Müller-Staufen).
Afterward, there was an opportunity for conversation over wine and pretzels.
