2015 Volume 19.2
Editorial comment
Conservation, heritage and urban morphology
Articles
An area structure approach to morphological representation and analysis
S. Marshall {+}Abstract [Full paper, PDF, 3MB]
ABSTRACT: A system for representing and analysing town plans as ‘area
structures’ is presented. This starts from the observation that a town
plan is a geometric object featuring areas whose relations can be
articulated using diagrams and symbols. Devices such as the
‘containment graph’ and ‘area-stratum diagram’ are introduced, and
a set of conventions for symbolic notation is demonstrated. These are
used to represent morphological relations and operations. The paper
suggests interpreting urban land, plots and building footprints as three
‘media’ (A, B, C) and uses symbolic notation to articulate typical urban
morphological structures and relates these to existing urban form
terminology. The area structure approach is used to interpret typical
relationships at the block scale, including those between containment,
subdivision, access and adjacency. Symbolic formulae are applied to
characterize different kinds of urban morphology: onward linkage to
‘morphospace’ and design is suggested.
Between water and land: urban and rural settlement forms in Cambodia with special reference to Phnom Penh
T. Kolnberger {+}Abstract [Full paper, PDF, 6.2MB]
ABSTRACT: In explaining urban form in Cambodia, morphological
continuity between rural and urban forms is examined. Environment
and agrarian land use are decisive factors in the location and shape of
plots in the countryside. Under conditions of higher population density,
urban plots tend to be compressed versions of rural ones. Adopting a
historico-geographical approach, the development of the form of
Phnom Penh as a colonial city and capital of a French protectorate is
explored as an example of the persistence of a rural settlement pattern
in a specific urban context.
Urban morphological curricula in Spanish schools of architecture
B. Ruiz-Apilánez, E. Solís and J. M. de Ureña {+}Abstract [Full paper, PDF, 0.3MB]
ABSTRACT: Urban morphological curricula in recently redesigned programmes
in all 33 schools of architecture in Spain are examined. In an international
context a comparative study is made of different courses using data available
on university websites. Urban morphology is present in most compulsory
urban studies modules, but these modules are rarely seen as relevant to
architectural programmes and only a very few are fully dedicated to the study
of urban form. The weak state of urban morphological curricula in Spanish
architectural programmes is revealed. Change is urgently needed to provide
future professionals with better knowledge and tools for research and practice.
The study of urban form in Japan
S. Satoh, K. Matsuura and S. Asano {+}Abstract [Full paper, PDF, 0.7MB]
ABSTRACT: Five aspects of urban morphology in Japan are reviewed. First, the
study of castle towns is considered in terms of both the compositional
principles and generative processes of these towns. Secondly, research on
historical Machinami and Machiya is examined with a view to establishing a
set of guidelines and theories for urban conservation. Thirdly, a revision of
perspectives on the modernization of urban form and spaces between the late
nineteenth century and the middle of the twentieth century is proposed.
Fourthly, investigations are described of over-populated urban areas,
including those on the periphery of large cities, in relation to the potential of
the Machizukuri movement as a method of upgrading such areas. Finally, the
particularities of Japanese methods in designing and planning are examined
with a view to overcoming the sterile view that to modernize is necessarily to
Westernize.
Review article: Early ideas of urban morphology: a re-examination of Leighly’s The towns of Mälardalen in Sweden
P. J. Larkham [Full paper, PDF, 0.5MB]
Viewpoints
More transatlantic myopia? I. Samuels
A ‘resilient’ urban morphology: TRUST C. Du Plessis, K. Landman, D. Nel and E. Peres
Urban morphology and daylight Bengt Sundborg
[Viewpoints, PDF]
Reports
Morphologue: The Bartlett Urban Morphology Group Workshop, London, 2015 Y. Zhang
Urban Morphology at the Sixteenth International Conference of Historical Geographers, London, 2015 T.R. Slater and K. Lilley
Tenth International Space Syntax Symposium, London, 2015 F. de Holanda
Fourth Conference of the Portuguese-language Network of Urban Morphology, Brasília, 2015 S. Pereira Costa
PNUM Workshop, Porto, 2015 V. Oliveira
Portuguese-language Network of Urban Morphology: President’s Report T. Marat-Mendes
[Reports, PDF]
Book reviews
B. Cattoor and B. de Meulder (2011) Figures infrastructures H. Bienstman
R. El-Khoury and E. Robbins (eds) (2013) Shaping the city M. M. Yusoff
F. Chen and K. Thwaites (2013) Chinese urban design H. Deng
L. Trindade (2013) Urbanismo na composição de Portugal C. D. Coelho
L. Martin (2013) On architecture. Melvin Charney: a critical anthology F. Racine
[Book reviews, PDF]
Book notes
[Book notes, PDF]
Notes and notices
- Inheriting the city
- CHeriScape
- ISUF Conference 2016
- Journal of Urbanism
- IFifth PNUM Conference
- Journal of Space Syntax
- UrbanNous
- Cutting into the substance of urban form
- Seventeenth IPHS Conference