Figure1: Visual voyage through a European street Source: Making People Friendly
1.1 Prologue
“Only in silence and solitude can we regain our
dreams . . . and build, plan a space, sow trees, pile
mountains, sail in the memory of a lake, discover
symbols that have hitherto been concealed . . . To know
who we are, to listen to the echo of a voice which
sounds strangely like our own. This is the physical
memory of our landscape".1
- Thomas Cavillo
We may be conscious of constant transformation
of the landscape, or rather cityscape, around us a
mutation that we have come to associate with
livelihood. Without movement and change there is
no life. Spaces speak to us in their own language, the
visual language of the physical world and that an
understanding of urban space will need to take in
account its physical, social and symbolic dimensions.
People’s impressions of a building, a particular
environment or space, or a whole city, are of course,
more than visual. Within the city lie many connotations,
memories, experiences, smells, hopes, crowds, places, buildings, the drama of life and
death, affecting each person according to his particular predilections. From his
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Figure 2 Urban spaces are the product of cities specially the juxtaposition of the building. Source: Making People Friendly Towns
environment each person constructs his own mental picture of the parts of space in
relation to one another.
Our environment of mountains, hills, plains, water, woods, vegetation, buildings,
roads, parks, plaza, streets and artifacts provides a myriad of different visual patterns
which we see, observe and unconsciously feel. Since the patterns we see are formed from
the arrangements of different components, it is an obvious starting point to identify it and
relate it back to the whole scene. We need to understand each attribute and see how they
interact and effect different variables and the method of organization have on the
patterns so produces.
1 Open Space in Urban Context
Advantage of thinking is in
terms of urban space is that we can
embrace a myriad of urban elements
as an entity rendering these elements
more distinctive and valuable then
they are alone. In planning the
spatial structure for a city we must
be careful to plane grand and
intimate spaces for the purpose the
serve.
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Figure 3. The vertical and horizontal elements together define a volume of space Source: Architecture Form Space And Order,
plane
Urban open spaces have distinct patterns. Usually there are seen in their block
street layout. Mixture of open spaces constitutes still another pattern. An urban space is
the geometry, regular or irregular, formed by routes, open spaces
and buildings. Grain is the degree of fineness or coarseness of an
urban area. Urban shape, pattern, grain, size, density and texture
are primarily aspects of solid forms – the building masses of the
city.
Single building or groups of buildings, which do not
enclose a space, are solid volumes when viewed externally.
Certain isolated buildings tend to dominated flat landscapes
when viewing distances are large and fee of obstruction. The
vertical and horizontal elements together define a volume of
space. Open volumes may be defined by an open spatial
structure such as a lattice or they may have more definite boundaries.
The spaces of the city range from the space of street to the space of the park
system and, ultimately to the vast space in which the entire city exists. It is helpful to
think of these spaces as two generic types: formal or urban spaces, usually molded by
building facades and the city floor and natural or open
spaces, which represents the nature brought into and around
the build form.
This is one aspect of looking at the urban space as a collection of building and
artifacts, and the other perceives it as a site for social relationship. The life and the form
of the cities are directly or indirectly are affected by the forces that modify the society,
point
line
volume
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Figure 4: the identity of place is a particular mix of social relation, hence always becoming ˆunfixed, contested and multiple˜ Source: Making People Friendly Towns
categorized traditionally under four titles: demographic forces, economic forces,
impact of technological changes, and the
cultural variations. 2
The spatial relation demonstrate
our experience of being alone in space, of
being crowded or being comfortable in
relation with other arises from the relation
of each space to all the others. Social
distances, that is, the size of space or the
distance between buildings which constrain
the distance between the occupants of
space and the occupants of building.
There is clear dividing line between
the way the functional and aesthetic aspects of a urban space, due to the presence of
the aesthetic aspect in architectural
concerns, the urban space is analysed
through subjective values. The space is seen as a “dramatic event in the city”, a
gathering of people who creates “a collective surplus of enjoyment” and gathering of
buildings that can collectively give visual pleasure.3
Another dimension to our emotional reaction to a space is our awareness of its
content, i.e. the urban fabric with its
reaction to the position our body in space,
colour, texture, scale, style, character,
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personality, and uniqueness. It is also at this level that the patterns of behavior in the
space can be analysed in relation to the symbolic processes, meaning of the
environment, and the relationship of the individual with others in public places and with
their environments. The visual voyage through any contemporary cityscape operates
like a continuous shift between eye and mind.
2 what constitutes a urban open space
Urban spaces are the result
of careful positioning of planes
(building facades) to create open
volumes; they interconnect and flow
from one to another in a careful
planned fashion. The degree to
which the spatial and visual
continuity is maintained between a
space and its surroundings depends
on the scale to change.
A particular space in a city
may function as locale of an important activity while possessing neither physical
enclosure nor appropriate floor. Times Square in New York is such an example. Such
spaces are islands or oasis in the city. Urban spaces can also be linear spaces. Avenues
and streets are linear urban spaces if they are enclosed on two sides or have some element
of unifying character – trees or uniform buildings. Islands or oasis are shopping places, of
Figure 5:Tight knit urban fabric and public realm Source: Making People Friendly Towns
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Figure 6 − The Sheriff Court, DundeeSource: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk
Figure 7− Traditional Shops, DundeeSource: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk
course the two can be inter-connected. Open spaces in the city have wide variety of
purposes. They are compliment and foil to urban form.
There are two quite distinct architectural concepts for the town and the city defining the
ways in which the buildings can be arranged in a space:
In the first concept the town or city is
visualized as an open landscape into which
buildings have been introduced as a positive
object designed as a three-dimensional mass,
pieces of sculpture sitting within a parkland,
‘figure’ in composition, while the space is in
which they stand.4
The second is where public space, that is, street
and square appear to be carved from an original
block of material, that is, the space it self
becomes the ‘figure’, the positive element, the
volume to be deigned and the buildings relegated
to a supporting role, the ‘ground’. 5
“Complexity is the spice of urban life. The bustling
urban centers are magnets to the city.” 6
aths, such as streets, walkways, canals and railways, are movement channels and
form a predominant element in people’s image of a city. Nodes are the focal points in the
pattern of development, such as junction or squares and street corners..
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Figure 8: The Street− the corridor spaces Source :Surroundings Of Residential Units by Wohnumfeld
THE LINE : Street and Avenues
“the streets have provided urban communities with
public open spaces” 7
-Jonathon Barnett
The street is a place to be seen. Sociability
is large part of why cities exist and streets are a
major if not the only public place for the
sociability to develop.
It appears that most street activity occurs
when it is convenient for large number of
pedestrian to use the street in many ways. The form of the street can be analyzed in
terms of a number of polar qualities such as straight or curved, long or short, wide or
narrow enclosed or open, formal or informal. Street can be analyzed in terms of scale,
proportion, contrast, rhythm nor connection to other streets or squares.
A sense of place is in street design is best achieved if the spatial volume defined
by the frontage is perceived as the positive form, the figure seen against the general
ground of he surrounding architecture. According to Gibberd: “the street is
not building frontage but a space about which buildings
are grouped to form a series of street pictures: or
alternatively the street is the space that may be
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Figure 9− Christopher Alexender: the city is not a treeSource − Making People Friendly Towns
expanded into wider spaces such as closes or squares” 8
if a street or a section of street is to posses the quality of enclosure then it must have the
three main elements, an entrance, the place itself, and a termination or exit.
THE PLANE: Square
“Square is a out door room and with room it shares
the quality of enclosure” 9
A square or plaza is both an area
framed by buildings and an area designed to
exhibit its building to the greatest
advantage. Activity in square is important
for its vitality and, therefore, also for its
visual attraction. The square is an outdoor
room and with the room it shares the quality
of enclosure. The key to enclosure in the
square is the treatment of its corners.
Generally speaking, the more open the
corners of the square the less the sense of
enclosure, the more built up or complete
they are, the greater the feeling of being enclose. The most successful city squares,
though they may have a dominant function for which each is known and which may
classify them, are often that sustain the activity through the diversity of use in its
surrounding building. Other important quality f a square and its surrounding building
is the degree of enclosure, discussed in chapter2.
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Figure 1.13: Circles
Figure 10The Amalien, CopenhagenSource : Urban Design ˘ Street And Square
Here the formal relationship between the parts of the image leads the small
white circle (which is the same size in both
images) to seem larger in the structural
context of the tiny black circles than
amongst the large black. The picture clearly
states the relation between the build form
and open spaces and how the scale and
proportion between them changes the visual
perception and sense of the space.
The spaces in which some of the
above features offer more visual pleasure,
emotional security, and a heightened
potential depth and intensity of human
experience.
Urban morphology
Objects are rarely isolated: they are in the company of other volumes or limits.
Space is born, from the relationships between these elements. The geometry and
organization of each object bestowed a direction and amplitude upon the radiance. The
direction is legible in the geometry of the volume and modulation of its façade.10The
architectural interest often concentrates on the physical fabric of the city, and its
aesthetics and functional dimensions. Often architects, define urban form in three
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dimensions. In its sculptural expression of different heights and shapes and its skyline.
The morphological elements of urban space are identified as streets and squares which
have been geometrically typified. In architectural history urban forms of past studied
through their morphological components parts such as castles and manors, walls and
gates, streets and circulation spaces, market places churches and public buildings. The
diversity of physical form and natural qualities has on return influenced the social
qualities of urban space.
3.1 Architectonic Of Urban Open Space
Language has become an important source of ideas about architectural
composition, like language, architecture has its own vocabulary and its grammer, ‘but
while it has several distinct vocabularies all covering same feild of expression, it has only
one grammer.’ Alexander extends this idea of an architectural pattern language to include
a visual language of a town: ‘Such a language is, in principle, complex enugh to be the
language of the town.’11
Buildings are volumetric combination of a large numbr of elements and urban
spaces are volumetric combination of a large numbr of buildings. They are joined
together in larger units which in turn, modulate the realtionship between the parts and the
whole. An urban pattern is the geometry, regular or irregular, formed by routers, open
spaces, and buildings. A number of concepts have been used to analyse the architectural
composiion in order to gain an understainding of the qualities which determine good or
beautiful form. The way in which these basic concepts cab be used and their relations
have veeb studied in order to determine their utility in urban design.
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Symbolism: the place making
We can conceptualize place as timeless and bounded, with a singular, fixed and
unproblematic, authentic identity. However, if the dynamism of the concept of space-
time is employed, place can be understood as open and porous. Place becomes a moment
is the ever changing social relation at all scales. The identity of place is a particular mix
of social relations, hence always becoming “unfixed, contested and multiple”.
There is little doubt that dynamic conception of place would be more realistically
represent the multiplicity of social practices and identities. There would be, however,
fixities at any point in time, as change takes place over time in relation to the existing
frames of reference. The identities of places, therefore, will be defined and redefined
constantly in relation to constant changes in Historical times. Human beings and places
can both be seen as sites for interaction of diverse social processes.
The way we can meaningfully introduce the fourth dimension of time into space
is by concentrating on the process of its evolution and change. Following the way the
space has been made and transformed will allow us to add fourth dimension to our spatial
understanding. The lived experience of space is one in which time is inherent. The
question to ask is weather they are any fixities in dynamic conception of space.
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Figure2: The ugly American strip or the tight−knit organic European historic town? They both are man made environments. Yet they lay the opposite ends of the continuum. we need to decide what sort environment we should be making and how to achieve them
2 Need for Study
How do we understand spaces and relate to it? Do we relate it by our reason
or our senses? Is it representing openness or fixity? How do we relate to time
and space? 12
In our response to theses
questions, we find ourselves divided
between objective and subjective
understanding, between reason and
emotions, between theory and
practice, between uniformity and
diversity, and between order and disorder.
In this sense, space could be seen as an
abstract substitute for the world around us, for what we generally mean as our built and
natural environment. The changing function of the building over time shows the
complexity of the relationship between social and physical space which is important to
realize to bridge the gap between physical fabric its relation to us, the human. Awareness
and appreciation of environmental perception, and, in particular, of perception and
experience of a ‘place’, is an essential dimension of urban deign.
Every new generation abandon some parts of its socio-spatial inheritance and
maintain some other parts. By this they ensure a permanent but dynamic coexistence to
the social and spatial forms, the cultural habits and the physical fabric of the cities. This
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Figure12− Street ScapeScource : Google Image Search
coexistence would not imply that the present is a prisoner of the past, as each new
generation transforms and interprets, and therefore recreates, its inheritance in its own
image.
Cities today fulfill many different functions. Some of these functions are in
conflicts with each other and create great hardships and strife: for example, expressway
destroys housing, and beautiful parks can become danger spots. Some functions have
continued through history, and others are constantly changing.
The urban forms of the past have studied
to prove its inability to cope with the
requirements of the modern civilization. Within
the urban grid, and the monotonous and
predictable urban condition, the generation of
prosthetic geometries and new morphologies acts
as a catalyst for innovation. Maybe this is the
right time, in the evolution of twenty-first century
architecture, to study and adopt new forms and
technologies. The aura of optimism and the
apparent financial success of the new building
boom seem to require fresh and daring idea for
the urban spaces and redefining them.
Different places mean different things to different people. We probably perceive
our urban environment in slightly different ways. What matters is to put together
buildings and bits of town in ways that they are easy to understand.
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What is the physical form of the place-form and structure in the three
dimensions and in broad outlines? What id the density and character of the
buildings? What is the spacing of the buildings? How does it vary? What is the
greenery of the place? How would you describe paving, the signs, the night
lighting? What are the physical patterns of the space? 13
The joy of seeing is an acquired pleasure. Like most good things in life it needs
some work. Perception requires some education in seeing; like most other values it can
be taught and learned. Too many of us don’t know the joy of seeing because we assume-
since we are born with eyes- that we can see. But there is much to learn about seeing
before we really perceive and understand our environment.
As a practical subject matter, when compared with related academic fields, urban
design has not been sufficiently supported by research. As emerging enterprise, however
it requires a research agenda to be established. The task is being undertaken to bridge the
gap he exist between the approaches to urban design.
The use of urban space is linked to the information field generated by surrounding
surfaces, and on how easily the information can be received by pedestrians,
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3 Objectives
DEFINITION, Essence, Existence and Identity
To understand the role of open space in the urban environment and its relation to
the built form. To examine the parameters defining open spaces and study the
scale and proportion of built mass to open space.
URBAN MORPHOLOGY
To understand the inter-relation of urban spaces as component and patterns of
lines, points and volumes. Thus, understand volumes, enclosures and mass the
forms urban patterns.
THE ABSTRACT: Soul Of Open Space
To study the aesthetic and symbolic notion of urban space making and the
dynamic of change.
4 Scope
The understanding of urban open space will need to take in account its physical,
social, and symbolic dimension simultaneously.
Initial concerns will be based on the symbolism and the meaning in the built
environment to the humans, focusing on the experimental ‘sense of place’ and
‘lived-in’ experience experiences. The phenomenon of ‘invented’ place is to be
explored.
The two environmental stimuli-‘sensation’ and ‘perception’ are to be studied in
detail.
The focus shall be kept on the appreciation of an urban open space and the
aesthetic qualities of urban spaces like the streets and the squares. The positive
and negative space in connection to the built form and their scale are essential to
be recognized.
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The study is not limited to one or two case studies, but a number of relevant
examples are selected such as civic-commercial spaces, transport nodes, historical
and political places and parks and recreational areas, exhibition spaces and
cultural space, which best illustrate the aspect being discussed.
5 Limitations
The study is limited to the civic-commercial area, transport nodes where human
activities and need are most intense.
The changing need of commerce and transport will be mentioned only to the
extent that they affect the quality of urban space.
Due to the complexity of the topic the study will be limited to specific delineation
of the examples.
The study will be entirely focused ton the outdoor open spaces, tough the urban
realm in contemporary times extend into the interior space of built from, it is not a
part of this study.
The application modern theories of urban design in foreign land will only be
studied through Internet and books as personal visit to the place is unattainable.
Due to limitation of time the case studies are done to the extent to explain the
related topic in the research.
5.1 Epilogue
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“We shape our environment and our environment
shapes us”14
The need to care about urban environment has never been greater. Towns and
cities over centuries must surely rank as the greatest achievement of technological,
artistic, cultural, and social endeavor. The public realm, in my view, the most important
part to the spaces. It is where the greatest amount of human contact and interactions
takes place; it is all the parts of our urban fabric to which the public have physical and
visual access. Thus, it extends from the streets, parks and squares into the building which
encloses and line them.
Strictly speaking, outdoor space doesn't need buildings at all; only surrounding
surfaces, nodes for sitting and standing, and paths. As a large portion of urban space is
open to the sky, those small parts that one is able to connect with are crucial. Urban space
depends on the fine structure of its boundaries, requiring much greater care than the
architectural treatment of interior space
Open spaces of a city have a variety of purposes. They are a compliment and foil
to the urban form. The built environment is too far from being the only one to influence
our sense of identity. The erection of a monument has the aim of communication or
recalling without ambiguity an event or memory to those who have not known them. Too
many large square and broad avenues may not be appropriate and can sever a district as
easily as then can unify it. Urban spaces are the product of cities specially the
juxtaposition of the building.
Figure 13 sketchSource : responsive environment
Ancient roman architect Vitruvius formulated the three fundamental principles
essential o architecture, firmness, commodity and delight. Of ideal architecture have been
prompted in accordance with changing interpretation of architecture over time.
Therefore the designers already know how to plan a space efficiently for a given set of
activities.
Check point to design a urban open space :
Visual Survey
A visual survey in urban design is an examination of form, appearance and
composition of a space – an evaluation of its assets and liabilities. It also helps us to see
where the city needs reshaping. Though the elements are themselves abstractions rather
than concrete forms, a designer aware of their importance for legibility is helped to focus
on the kinds of physical forms worth taking as models for legible new layouts.
Combining new and existing elements
Develop the project to make more
legible the area of which it forms a p
art, by relating the new design to the
existing elements on the site and in its
surroundings. Because these cannot be
moved, they must be taken as fixes for
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Figure 14. sketchSource : responsive environment
developing the design. The implication, the interaction between the visual environment
and quantity of life in the city ultimately expresses the city’s failure or success. Urban
space should have certain qualities if it is to be responsive to human feelings and
sensibilities.
The idea of place
The means of building an architectural place are always physical, but they are
sufficient by themselves. We build urban fabrics, subject to ask ourselves about their
purpose. Architectural form must therefore refer to ‘the idea of place’ and not only to the
aesthetic principles, utility, or geometric and constructional rules. More exactly, we must
try to unite them in order to sustain the idea place. Parks and flowering gardens are open
spaces of respite and recreation. The act as a setting for architecture: they provide the
needed contrast and change..
Circulation and
Spatial orientation
Space is the medium of the
urban experience, providing the
sequence between public, semi-
public, and private domains. For
these sequences to work,
circulation barriers and gaps in
continuity must be minimized or eliminated.
Spatial orientation is defined by the
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configuration of urban blocks that collectively form districts and neighborhoods. It is the
articulation and differentiation of solids and voids that make up the fabric of the city and
establish the physical sequences and visual orientation between places.
Its difficult to visualize what a building should look like in an urban setting. Today
architecture is an evolved profession called the forth to deal with crowded plight of
mankind. It is the logical extension of ancient concern of architects with the commodity,
firmness and delight of building. Now it need to embrace the whole environment of man
in an evem more demanding complexity. The result is chaotic and confusing. Today
building donot follow ant stylistic uniformity.
Urban space is far more sophisticated mathematically than we are used to thinking.
At the other extreme from a collection of static, non-interacting simple forms and voids,
in reality we have a complex system tied together by both static and dynamic
interactions. Architecture is a gesture made with buildings and open spaces towards
humans to respond. Thus it can be said that architecture is of its nature assertive- it
proposes a certain way of doing things, of bringing together or separating activities- and
this will either create an order that affronts or one that enhances the quality of life.
Whatever the architects design has a tangible or an intangible relation with humans being
and in turn the society.
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References 1 http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/- Language of Spaces, The Hindu folio by
Arati Chari 2 Design Of Urban Space by Ali Madanipour 3 ibdi. preface 4 Cliff Moughti, Urban Design – Street and Square, Architectural Press, Oxford,
Third Edition,2005, chap- 2 5 ibdi, chap- 2 6 ibdi, preface 7 ibdi, chap- 5, page 135 8 Gibberd, F , Town Design, Architectural Press, London, 2nd edition, 1955 9 Cliff Moughti, opcit, chap- 4, page 99 10 ibdi, chap- 2 11 Sitte, Cliff Moughti, opcit, chap- 2 12 Rob Krier, Urban Spaces, Academy Editions,London, Fourth Impression, 1988,
Pg10 13 Fran P. Hosken, Language Of Cities, The Macmillan Company, New York, First
Edition, 1968, pg 37
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List of Illustration
Figure 1 – sketch , Francis Tibbalds Source - Making People Friendly Towns, Francis Tibbalds Figure 2 –sketch, Francis Tibbalds Source - Making People Friendly Towns, Francis Tibbalds Figure 3 –sketch Source - Architecture Form Space And Order, Francis D.K. Figure 4 – sketch, Francis Tibbalds Source - Making People Friendly Towns, Francis Tibbalds Figure 5 – sketch, Francis Tibbalds Source - Making People Friendly Towns, Francis Tibbalds Figure 6 – The Sheriff Court- Source -www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/Dundee Figure 7– Traditional Shops, Dundee Source-www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/Dundee Figure 8 – Squares Open Spaces Source - Surroundings Of Residential Units by Wohnumfeld Figure 19 – sketch, Francis Tibbalds Source - Making People Friendly Towns, Francis Tibbalds Figure 10- The Amalien, Copenhagen Source : Urban Design – Street And Square, Cliff Moughtin, Figure 11– sketch , Francis Tibbalds Source - Making People Friendly Towns, Francis Tibbalds Figure 12– Streetscape Source - http://www.urbanlife2005.com/images/intro.gif Figure 13- Sketch Source: Responsive Environment, Bently Alcock Murrain Mc Glynn Smith Figure 14-Sketch Source: Responsive Environment, Bently Alcock Murrain Mc Glynn Smith
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Table of Contents List of illustration …i
1 Prologue …1
1 Open space in Urban Context …2
2 Components of Urban Open Space …5
2 Need for Study …12
3 Objectives …15
4 Scope …15
5 Limitation …16
6 Epilogue …17
References …21
Bibliography
1 http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/- Language of Spaces, The Hindu folio by Arati Chari 2 Design Of Urban Space by Ali Madanipour 3 Design Of Urban Space by Ali Madanipour 4 Urban Design – Street and Square, Third Edition, Cliff Moughtin, chapter 2 5 Urban Design – Street and Square, Third Edition, Cliff Moughtin, chapter 2 6 Urban Design – Street and Square, Third Edition, Cliff Moughtin, chapter 2 7 Urban Design – Street and Square, Third Edition, Cliff Moughtin, chapter 2 8 Gibberd, F , Town Design, Architectural Press, London, 2nd edition, 1955 9 10 Chapman & Hall, Elements of Architecture, E & FN Spon, London, First English Language Edition, 1997, first interlude, page 86 11 Cliff Moughtin, Urban Design – Street And Square, Architectural Press, Oxford, Third Edition, 2003, Chapter 2, Page 31 12 Rob Krier, Urban Spaces, Academy Editions,London, Fourth Impression, 1988, Pg10 13 Language Of Cities, Fran P. Hosken, The Macmillan Company, New York, First Edition, 1968, pg 37 14 Churchill quoted in Contantinos Doxiadis