2018 Volume 22.1
Editorial comment
Urban morphology: how interdisciplinary? how international?
Articles
Plots, property and behaviour
K. Kropf {+}Abstract [Full paper, PDF, 3MB ]
ABSTRACT: There is a lack of clarity in urban morphology in the use of the
terms ‘plot’ and ‘lot’. The complications arise in large part because these
terms are used to refer to several things. Further ambiguities arise because
the concept of property is not univocal, and the boundaries corresponding
to the different meanings of plot do not necessarily coincide. An attendant
problem is that distinct aspects of urban form are conflated into a single,
ill-defined entity. Given the significance of the plot in building typology and
urban morphology, the ambiguities in its definition raise questions about
the role of the plot in the generation and transformation of urban form and
in particular in the central phenomenon of persistence and the differential
rates of change between street pattern, plot pattern and building pattern. The
aim of this paper is therefore to clarify the terms plot and lot by examining
the pertinent characteristics that are used to define them and the underlying
relationships and logic they entail. The resolution offered in conclusion is
that the fundamental basis for defining a plot – as property and an element
of control – is rooted in human behaviour and our interactions with both
our environment and each other. This may then provide a fruitful basis for
investigating the phenomenon of persistence in more detail.
Changing urban form in a planned economy: the case of Nanjing
L. Zhang and W. Ding {+}Abstract [Full paper, PDF, 12MB ]
ABSTRACT: Plots have consistently provided effective evidence in
interpretations of urban transformations. In a market economy they are
profitable land units involving capital, and they play an important role in
urban development. However, it is unclear what role plots play in a planned
economy, where they lack exchange value and only have value in their
use for supporting buildings. In China during the socialist period from
1949 to 1988, the land unit for urban construction was freely allocated
land. The process of plot metamorphosis was dominated by the planned
economy system, and it progressed through the creation and changes in the
physical form of danweis. The specifics of the morphological process in this
political and economic system merit investigation. This paper examines the
morphological transformation of part of the central commercial district
of Nanjing from 1949 to 1988. It explores the system of land occupation,
widens morphological knowledge and complements the contribution of
M. R. G. Conzen to methods of historico-geographical investigation.
Exploring the fringe-belt phenomenon in a Sino-Portuguese environment: the case of Macao
S. He {+}Abstract [Full paper, PDF, 8MB ]
ABSTRACT: The fringe-belt concept has been recognized as an effective means
of investigating the growth and transformation of urban physical form.
Hitherto case studies of fringe belts have been mainly conducted in fairly
homogeneous cultural environments. In this paper the fringe-belt concept
is investigated in a city characterized by a Sino-Western admixture of cultures.
The investigation of three fringe belts in Macao Peninsula reveals major
factors influencing their formation and modification processes, especially
in relation to socio-economic conditions, land reclamation from the sea and
industrial development. Understanding the characteristics of fringe belts
has implications for the appreciation and management of urban landscapes.
A military-related townscape: the case of Zuoying, Taiwan
C-H. Chen {+}Abstract [Full paper, PDF, 10MB ]
ABSTRACT: Morphological analysis similar to that employed by M. R. G.
Conzen is used to examine the agents and agencies shaping the military
city of Zuoying. The walled city and naval base underwent four phases of
physical change. These were associated with functional changes that have
reflected different military strategies and technologies. Seven morphological
regions are recognized. Light is also shed on the urban historical context
within which East Asian cities more widely have developed.
Viewpoints
Linking urban morphological and social perspectives T. Stojanovski
Conservation, heritage and urban morphology – further thoughts R. M. Thomas
The origins of urban rectangular plans in the Near East A. Krim
Reflections on ‘How we view cities: a green-space enigma?’ M. I. W. Hopkins
Urban landscapes of deception I. Samuels
Understanding place in Serbia A. Niković and M. R. Blagojević
[Viewpoints, PDF ]
Reports
ISUF President’s Report 2016/17 G. Cataldi
Twenty-Fourth International Seminar on Urban Form, Valencia, Spain 27–29 September 2017 M. Berghauser Pont
Sixth Conference of the Portuguese-language Network of Urban Morphology, Vitória, ES, Brazil, 24–25 August 2017 J. Correia
Portuguese-language Network of Urban Morphology: President’s Report T. Marat-Mendes
Reports of ISUF Officers, 2016/17 S. M. Whitehand
[Reports, PDF ]
Book reviews
K. Kropf (2017) The handbook of urban morphology P. Gauthier
A. Allegri (2016) La dimensione urbana degli spazi commerciali. Il caso di Lisbona, 1970–2010 I. Boukhelkhal
M. Al-Asad and R. Mehrotra (2016) Shaping cities: emerging models of planning practice P. Larochelle
A. Isenberg (2017) Designing San Francisco: art, land and urban renewal in the city by the bay B. C. Scheer
A. R. Leite (2014) Açores, cidade e território. Quatro vilas estruturantes A. E. M. Amado
[Book reviews, PDF ]
Book notes
[Book notes, PDF ]
Notes and notices
- ISUF 2018: Urban form and social context
- Second Hispanic International Seminar on Urban Form, Zaragoza, Spain
- Meeting of the Council of ISUF
- Fourth International Urban Planning and Property Development Conference
- ISUF 2019: Cities as assemblages
- Second Local Conference of the Turkish Network of Urban Morphology, Istanbul
- Revista de Morfologia Urbana