2003 Volume 7.2
Editorial comment
From Como to Alnwick: in pursuit of Caniggia and Conzen
Articles
Fractal assessment of street-level skylines: a possible means of assessing and comparing character
J. Cooper {+}Abstract [Full paper, PDF]
ABSTRACT: Fractal analysis and the calculation of fractal dimension offers the potential for the numerical characterization of places by providing a synthetic measurement of place complexity. This paper provides a fractal analysis of street-scale urban skylines, linking the calculation of fractal dimension to the presence of the physical features making up a skyline. A technique for calculating skyline fractal dimensions is presented and suggestions are made about the use of fractal analysis in comparing the character of places.
The concept of the ideal city: the case of Finnish orthogonal towns
M. Kirjakka {+}Abstract [Full paper, PDF]
ABSTRACT: Most old towns in Finland are characterized by their orthogonal structure. During a period of about 300 years the architectural principles of the Renaissance were followed. The concept of the ideal city was applied to an environment with a building tradition totally different from that of the countries in which the concept was created. The ideal grid structure could be transferred into this part of the periphery of Europe without difficulty, but the resulting townscape with its wooden buildings was far from Renaissance ideals. There was a constant dialogue between the goals of fire safety and stateliness of the townscape, on the one hand, and the actual urban environment on the other. The battle against fires was waged by restructur-ing towns and by developing new guidelines for building. Even when town plans were restructured, characteristics of Renaissance ideals were preserved. Rows of deciduous trees, which were introduced as a new structural component in the late-eighteenth century, eventually proved decisive in creating an ambience suitable for wooden towns. A specific type of grid plan characteristic of Finnish wooden towns was created. The new block was divided into plots with wide fire streets which were planted with deciduous trees. Finland was able to create its own concept of the ideal city.
Review article: Cultural identity and the city
E. Ehlers [Full paper, PDF]
Viewpoints
Fringe belts and planning: a French example E. Ducom
Morphology of disaster J. Nasr
At ground level J.M. Diefendorf
Post-catastrophe reconstruction P.J. Larkham
It's about time J. Gilliland
Reports
Tenth ISUF Conference, Trani, 2003 J. Komisar
ISUF Council meetings 2003 K.S. Kropf
General meeting of ISUF P.J. Larkham
International Urban Form Workshop, Seoul P.M. Hess
The rebuilding of British cities J.R. Gold
Book reviews
H. Capel Sáez (2002) La morfología de las ciudades C. Bellet Sanfeliu
K. Larsen and A. Sinding-Larsen (2001) The Lhasa atlas S.-D. Chang
J. Sousa Morais (2001) Maputo L. Corvaja
K. Humpert and M. Schenk (2001) Entdeckung der mittelalterlichen Stadtplanung U. Fischer
J. Düwel and N. Gutschow (2001) Städtebau in Deutschland im 20. Jahrhundert G. Fehl
Y. Xu (2000) The Chinese city in space and time P.R. Gaubatz
L.K. Morisset (2001) La mémoire du paysage A.-S. Clémencon
R. Chevallier (2000) Lecture du temps dans l'espace P. Pinon
J.D. Tracy (ed.) (2000) City walls K.D. Lilley
K.D. Lilley (2002) Urban life in the Middle Ages K. Reyerson
G. Cataldi and R. Corona (2002) Logge e / y lonjas I. Samuels
J.F. Meyer (2001) Myths in stone W. Zelinsky
R. Alston (2002) The city in Roman and Byzantine Egypt N. Christie
J. Lü, P.G. Rowe and J. Zhang (eds) (2001) Modern urban housing in China P. Jones
E. Raith (2000) Stadtmorphologie H. Heineberg
Notes and notices
- Joan Vilagrasa Ibarz
- Caniggia Seminar
- Historical Atlas of Vienna
- The Planned City?
- ISUF 2004