Urban Semiotics and Solastalgia

Abstract

This thesis explores the semiotic changes within the London borough of Hackney between 2011 and 2021 and their emotional impact on long-term residents. Analyzing three sites, the research highlights how semiotic transformations indicative of gentrification, urban renewal, and shifting immigration patterns can engender solastalgia, a type of psychological distress caused by alterations to one's familiar environment. The study introduces an 'Dictionary of Urban Semiotics' as a tool to underpin new forms of planning impact assessments and safeguard the aesthetic and cultural assets that foster residents' sense of belonging and solace. Advocating for planning assessments that protect the fabric of lower-income and working-class neighborhoods, this thesis underscores the necessity of balancing urban development with communities' emotional and cultural well-being, promoting a socially just and empathetic approach to urban change.