Urban Form and Formation

Description

Content The module addresses different urban form components and patterns at different scales - buildings, streets, blocks and neighbourhood units - and how these are created in relation to each other to generate overall urban form. The module considers different modes of formation, including master-planning and more bottom-up forms of urbanism, and their resultant urban forms. Students apply concepts and methods studied to create a proposal for an urban site, in a way that offers an alternative to conventional master-planning, The module involves a combination of creativity and focused enquiry. It allows students from different disciplinary backgrounds to explore and research the creation of urban form and then go on to apply insights from this in relation to planning and design interventions. Teaching delivery The module comprises up to five lectures covering the understanding of urban form and formation, and five project studio tutorial sessions applying understanding to proposals for an urban site. The module is set up in a way to encourage interactivity. Indicative topics Indicative topics - based on module content in 2024/25, subject to possible changes. Urban form and morphology Modes of urban formation Master planning versus bottom-up urbanism Pattern languages Isobenefit urbanism Incremental development Module aims/objectives The purpose of this module is to give a grounding in the understanding of relationships between urban form and formation: how insights from urban morphology and morphogenetic processes that created existing urban form can better inform the creation of future urban form through planning, design and more informal urbanism. Students can expect to learn about different building-blocks of urbanism at different scales, and how they fit together; and gain insights into how the process of their formation affects their overall form and functioning. Recommended readings Indicative readings. Alexander, C. et al. (1977). A pattern language: towns, buildings, construction. New York: Oxford University Press. D’Acci, L. S., Banister, D., and White, R. W. (2024). Liveable urban forms: planning, self-organisation, and a third way (Isobenefit urbanism). Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), 1-8. Kropf, K. (2017). The handbook of urban morphology. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. Marshall, S. (2009). Cities, design and evolution. Abingdon and New York: Routledge. Additional costs The module normally includes a site visit, involving travel within London.