Principles of urban design

Lecture 2
History of Urban Form

Arch. N. Masuku
 The evolution of urban design
• Medival era
• Rennaisance era
• Baroque era
• Industrial era
• Modernism and Technogy era
 Medieval Era
• Thought to have occurred be between western Roman
empire and Italian Renaissance around1420
• It was around the 13th and 14th centuries
• They were regularly planned
• They were affected by the local situation
• Towns that grew around existing fortifications churches,
or village tended to be less regular.
• But they were lack of symmetric during this era
• Medieval square show an exquisite sensitivity to the
creation of good space.
 Renaissance Era
• They were planned works based on regular grid
• What consequences did renaissance ideas have for the design of
urban space
• They were pre occupation with symmetry and the creation of
balanced axial composition were central motifs
• Great importance was the placement of monumental buildings and
statues at the end of long, straight streets.
• Buildings were wrought to coherent ensemble by repeating basic
features
• It is during this era that road hierarchy system was established
(horse and cart was being given preference, up to narrow walking
streets)
 Baroque
• Often thought as an extension of Renaissance, it is a distinct
era
• It has remained influential in the 20 th century
• The main proponent Rene Descastes (1956-1650)
• However paper plans and straight lines continue to dominate
• Transport concerns became steadying more important as
cities grew
• Plans began to be imposed on site
• Monarchs’ were dominant during this era
• Transport movement was key
• NB: Baroque represented a transition from quite reflection
and enduring too.
 Industrial Revolution
• The Morden era influenced by industrialization
and squalor conditions
• The effect of industrialization on city design
was mainly adverse
• It brought inventions such as the railroad,
water treatment, gas lighting, and electricity
made large cities possible
 Garden City Movement
• Came as a reaction to the 19th century poverty
and deteriorating living conditions and the
excessive widths of streets
• Ebenezer Howard and Raymond Unwin were
key proponents of this movement
• Maintained the medieval and renaissance
thinking
• The three magnets?
 Modernism and Urbanism
• Read about Le Cobusier, Chandigh, Peter Hall
• The era of science and technology
• Globalisation and villagisation
• Urbanisation and informalities of the third
world cities.
 The Models Concepts
•Public Sector Mind Model
Failure Market –
Reactionary
Control
•Market Mind Model
Need Driven
Facilitative
Innovative
•Civic Society Mind Model
Consultative
Public Participation
Consensus Building
•Science and Technology Park Model
Urban Planning &Design Frameworks
 Urban Design Tools
• Using an urban design tool kit, we can analyse
urban environs.
• these tools can help in:
• understanding the urban context;
• encouraging community participation;
• increasing the understanding of urban design issues;
• describing intended design outcomes;
• establishing design processes and organizing people
resources.
 Grouping of tools
• Research and analysis tools –for understanding
the urban context.
• Community participation tools-for encouraging
community involvement and informing initiatives.
• Raising awareness tools –for describing intended
design outcomes.
• Implementation tool-for establishing processes
and organizing people and resources.