"ANALYSIS OF URBAN PATTERNS IN HISTORIC SETTLEMENTS, AS BASIS FOR

THEIR CONSERVATION AND PLANNING"

by Helen Maistrou
architect, associate professor NTUA
Urban conservation depends on the basic form and structure of cities. The main components
of urban form are those which constitute and determine the city web.
Cities patterns will help establish the necessary background for urban conservation and
preservation by pointing to the principal elements of its formation
Nahoum Cohen in Urban Conservation 1998

1. INTRODUCTION
The form of a historic city just as in any city -, constitutes a spatial expression and
at the same time a testimony of all the social, geographical and political parameters
that contributed in its establishment and development. The analysis of such form
focuses on the general image of the area, the relation between open natural space
and the built environment, the geometrical features and the organization of public
space, the building wealth and on all kinds of historical elements.
Beyond the analysis of the tangible elements that comprise a citys form, we must not
overlook all the intangible elements such as the social content, the cultural
characteristics and the functioning of the city, which are equally important parameters
that comprise the citys image and identity.
The town image is shaped by the geometrical features and the the outline of the built
environment, in conjunction with the formation and the natural elements of the
landscape on which it emerged. The geometrical features of the historic urban tissue
and the evolution of the citys urban form are determined by the geographical
position and the landscape of the area on which the initial settlement was developed,
along with the needs for defense, connection and communication with neighboring
settlements.
The identification, recording and study of the urban patterns that have defined the
urban form of each historic settlement, as well as, the analysis of its geometrical
features are necessary in order to understand its existence and to plan its urban
conservation and sustainable development.

2. WAYS OF IDENTIFYING URBAN PATTERNS IN HISTORIC SETTLEMENTS.

The identification and interpretation of historic urban patterns may be performed in
various ways:
2.1. Through the study of the citys history and the milestones in its development
course, as well as through the understanding of the primary needs that had to be
satisfied in the initial composition of the settlement.
The first passageways that were created in order to facilitate connection and
communication with the neighbouring settlements, the nearest port, the nearest
water spring, the fields fit for cultivation, the grazing lands, the monasteries,
churches, etc., constitute the primary elements that have defined its present urban
form.

The particularities of the landscape, the presence of natural elements such as a river
or the sea coast, the existence of older fortifications, as well as religious, political and
economic parameters, in combination with the local climate, the available materials
and the construction techniques, clarify the structure and the geometrical features of
the todays urban web, which remains almost intact through time, even though the
buildings that comprise it keep changing.
Looking back into the citys history helps us interpret the various urban web forms
found among different historic settlements and even among the various parts of the
same settlement.
The study of historic maps and the analysis and interpretation of the surrounding
environment elements through aerial pictures and geographical maps, is
instrumental for such research.
2.2. Through the recording and analysis of the geometrical features of the urban
web, whether iregular or designed, which web is formed by the road system main
and secondary roads-, by the main squares which have always served as places of
gatherings and social contact, as well as by smaller widenig and local expansions,
that constitute the junctions of the roadways network and serve as stops which help
us in orientating ourselves.
Such recording is achieved through the imprinting of the urban web in maps and
layout plans and it concerns the type of roadways (straight or crooked), the width of
the roads in relation to their straight parts, (narrowed and widened parts), the shape
and size of squares and widenings, as well as the way all the above are articulated.
Major components of the analysis of the urban web are the parcel size, the
percentage of roads, the type of geometric division, and the block size.
The geometrical features of the urban web in medieval towns are very different than
the characteristics of later urban webs formed in the 18th and 19th centuries as well
as the expansion plans of cities at the beginning of the 20th century, and that is
because according to the analysis by Amos Rapoport in his book History and
Precedent in Environmental Design they present: variation in width, many turns and
twists per unit length, use of bend, curves and angles, use of cross streets, sudden
changes, irregular rhythm, transitions of various sorts, sequences of different spaces
and high contrast among their size, complexity at the scale of areas, large number of
possible paths, presence of projecting elements
Medieval squares come in a large variety of shapes and liaison with the roads that
lead to them. In some instances these squares are formed by the widening of the
road in front of a major monument that has been placed freely within the urban web.
On the other hand, the urban web of towns built in the 19th century and at the
beginning of the 20th century, presents alignments and some type of geometrical
planning that corresponds to classicist standards. The boundaries between private
and public space are clear and determined right from the start, while squares are
distinguished by their geometric shape.
2.3. Nevertheless, in order to consider the analysis of the geometric features of the
urban web complete, we need to identify its three-dimensional organization and to
study the elements that define its third dimension. Such research and study includes
the identification of major buildings landmarks that constitute the unique features
of the city.
Kevin Lynch has made a very similar approach in analyzing a city in his renowned
book The Image of the City, in which he mentions the characteristic components
that constitute a towns image paths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks
Through the three-dimensional reading of the urban web, we are introduced into the
perceptual analysis of urban patterns, and the identification of the visual interest and
aesthetic qualities they have to offer.

The width of the roads in relation to the height of the buildings that define them, the
density of structures, the fences whether high or low and the relation between built
and open areas, as they are analyzed in sections, as well as the morphological
variety of the facades of the buildings, the quality, the workmanship and texture of
the surfaces, the construction materials and the colours used, as they are analyzed
in facades, attribute a unique identity each time to the urban web.
Together with all the above characteristics, the complexity of the roadways, the
visual alternation of images and the contrasts resulting from sudden changes in the
direction of the road network, the covered passageways and the location of special
points of interest, and the landmarks of public spaces, as they are presented in
perspective plans, comprise the town image and its perception.
Through the perceptual analysis of urban patterns, we are able to put together the
citys reference points that are necessary for urban planning.

3. AN EXAMPLE OF ANALYZING URBAN PATTERNS AND GEOMETRICAL

FEATURES. THE CASE OF NAFPLIO.
The analysis of the geometrical and perceptual characteristics of the urban web in
historic settlements in Greece, which have been evolving continuously from medieval
times till today, is especially interesting while at the same time a prerequisite for the
protection of their urban web.
A characteristic example is the old city of Nafplion, which served as the first capital
city of the modern Greek state for 4 years. Nafplion is located in Peloponnesus, 160
km. south of Athens.
Developed through time on the hill of Akronafplia, the city retains the patterns of its
long history in both its form and structure. Urban patterns that were defined by the
formation of the landscape on which it was developed in conjunction with its historic
milestones as well as its defensive needs and its connection needs through the sea
routes.
The three successive development zones, distinguished by the different geometrical
and morphological characteristics of their urban web as well as their buildings, have
formed the contemporary city of Nafplion.
The first section of the city which was completed during the first period of Venetian
domination (1389-1540) is characterized by the quaintness of the area and the free
arrangement of roads and their adaptation to the intense sloping of the terrain. The
major roadways of the time are rather narrow and are developed parallel to the
contours of the Akronafplia. Smaller and narrower roads, vertical to the hill, with
extreme inclination or stairs, complete the urban web.
The building blocks that are created according to the natural formation of the
landscape, are inconsistent, usually small in size and with varied forms. The
distribution system of the land parcels also features a similar freedom and lack of
consistency, in both layout and size, while even the built sections are characterized
by free expression and contradictions, except in the buildings along Papanikolaou
Kapodistriou street, which has always been the main access road to the city. In this
residential zone we first find courtyards and gardens.
The roadways are distinguished by the different heights and morphological
characteristics of the buildings, the presence of balconies, the colors of doors and
windows. The slight curvature of the roads that run parallel to the contours of the hill,

sparks the interest of the wanderer as to what he is going to find next. The junctions
with the narrow vertical roads allow a view towards the sea or Akronafplia.
During the second period of Venetian occupation (1686-1719), we have the
development of a second zone that runs parallel to the first one. In the second zone
the terrain is not so sloping, the roads vertical to the hill of Akronafplia are more flat
and the whole style of the area is more urban. The road network seems more
designed, while it does retain many of the characteristics of freedom, of of the
previous zone to which, in a way, it is the natural continuation. The building blocks
are larger and have more standard shapes although they still retain elements of
freedom and quaintness.
During that time, a defensive wall was built along the sea cost the boundaries of
that wall to the North and the East are the boundaries of the old city today. Although
this fortification does not stand anymore, it defined to a great degree, the
contemporary form of the city and the width of the roads running along it.
Papanikolaou Kapodistriou street and its crossroad, Potamianou street, are the
main roads of the fortified city. The first road was the main access road to the city
from the Land Gate, while the second one connected the Sea Gate to the castle
of Akronafplia. At the crossing point of the two roads we have the formation of the
St. Spyridon square and the construction of St. Spyridon church.
The buildings in this zone are larger than the humble structures of the previous zone.
They are built in a row with small open spaces laid out within the building block.
Their facades are in most cases characterized by formality and austerity while
sometimes they feature characteristics of the neoclassical order.
From 1828 to 1832, when Nafplio is the capital of the Modern Greek state, a series
of town-planning interventions were realized and they defined the contemporary form
of the second zone of development. A characteristic example is the way the main
street (V. Konstantinou) meets Syntagma square as well as the relation of the square
with the older roadways.
At the same time, the area outside the city walls is planned. This is the third phase
of citys development and it was planned according to the "regular" town-planning
system, the almost absolutely regular system of parcel distribution, followed by
volume and morphological restrictions in building construction.
The area here is totally flat, the roads are narrow with normal and geometrical
direction, the building blocks are rectangular in shape with an average width of 14
15 meters and length between 25 55 meters, while construction is uninterrupted.
The land parcels are almost all the same size, they extend from side to side and are
small. The buildings in them cover the whole area of the parcel and there are not
any free spaces.
This last zone of development is primarily an urban zone and is distinguished by an
almost absolute formality in both the urban web and its buildings, which in many
cases feature neoclassical characteristics in their facades.
From 1900 and onwards the city extends to the east towards the area called today
the new center and features a new town plan with a distinctive new character that
provides for open public spaces and the construction of public buildings.
All in all, the old city combines the image of a medieval town, characterized by the
quaintness of the landscape, the free arrangement of roads, the free placing of
monuments within the urban web and the unplanned squares that were formed by
the widening of the road at the site of a monument or the widening of two roads at
the site of the junction, with the image of modern 19th and 20th century cities, which
reintroduce the classic model of rectangular forms and the classicist characteristics
of the buildings.

4. THE CONTRIBUTION OF ANALYSIS IN THE PLANNING OF PROTECTION

SCHEMES
The planning for the protection of the historic city of Nafplion was based on the
above analysis of its characteristics. Within the framework of the general program
that was developed for this purpose, special care was given to the preserving of the
special geometric and morphological characteristics of its individual sections, which
had been duly recorded and studied.
To this end:
4.1. The traditional urban web was declared preserved in the whole area of the old
city and any interventions in its planning is forbidden (widenings, alignments or
arcades)
4.2. The merging of land parcels was forbidden, so that their existing size is left intact
and thus the sizes of the buildings and consequently the town image is not impacted.
4.3. The zones featuring different characteristics were clearly delineated and special
construction guidelines were set per sections that define the method and density of
construction as well as the height of buildings.
4.4. The citys roads and pedestrian walks were defined in accordance with the
characteristics of the urban web,
4.5. All historic buildings and historic elements in the city were declared preserved.
4.6. Various upgrading interventions to the citys urban web were planned with due
respect to the existing structures. That was done because just as Rob Crier writes,
any planning innovation in a city must be governed by the logic of the whole and in
design terms must offer a formal response to pre existing spatial conditions
Beyond the material dimension of the city, the analysis of which was the special
objective of the present paper, we must also point out that the immaterial dimension
of city, comprising its socio-economic content and its cultural features, is also a main
ingredient of the citys image and uniqueness. Characteristics that complete its
urban form and require special care for their salvation and conservation.

5. MAIN BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Kevin Lynch : The image of the city The M.I.T Press,1960
2. Camillo Sitte : City Planning According to Artistic Principles New York1965
3. Amos Rappoport : History and Precedent in Environmental Design Plenum
Press, New York, 1990
4. Rob Krier : Urban Space Academy Editions, London 1979
5. Aldo Rossi: L Architettura della citta Marsilio Padua 1966
6. Nahoum Coen Urban Conservation The M.I.T Press,1998
7. Pierre Pinon Lire et composer l espace public Edition de STU 1991.
8. Centres Historiques, Methodes d Analyse Edition de STU 1991.

1. The old city of Nafplion on 17th century

2. Plan of the old city of Nafplion, 1834.

3. Street of the city, 1980,

by T. Malikouti, K.Kyriakides, students of Architecture

4. Street of the city, 1980,

by T. Malikouti, K.Kyriakides, students of Architecture

5. Building facades, on the main street of the city.