If the design of public settings (such as streets, parks, or recreation areas) is to have visual appeal to the many and diverse passers-by and users, decision makers must integrate extant knowledge of environmental preferences into the design. Frequently, such information is overlooked. The first paper in this section (Lozano) develops some urban-design strategies that respond to empirical findings on visual preferences.

An important question, then, is how to translate such ideas into realities. Specifically, how does one bridge the gap between the development of design guidelines and their acceptance and application in public spaces through public policy? Individuals interested in environmental aesthetics can benefit from an improved understanding of the realities involved in translating proposals into public policy.

When there is one user or client and a short (one or two years) time to complete a project, the integration of the user's or client's aesthetic needs into the design is relatively straightforward. The papers in this section focus on the more complex situation in which there may be multiple users, multiple clients, and a long (sometimes open-ended) time frame. Obstacles to and opportunities for success in such situations are discussed. The emphasis is on application and process.