Throughout time man has traveled to new places and experienced unfamiliar territories often without fear of what lies ahead. However, in today’s world any environment outside of our everyday paths of travel can be challenging and intimidating. This research investigated the role typical footpath materials play in communicating a user’s position within an urban environment. While illustrating the importance of detecting changes in materials, it argues that positional information should be available to all users. To examine this phenomenon, this study compared two components: the user, and the material, while also considering their relationship. A theoretical framework was developed to explain this relationship and a methodological design was used to elicit quantitative values. By doing so, the research produced a means of evaluating existing as well as future use of construction materials as a piece of a larger information system.