Pharos University

Faculty of Engineering
Architectural Engineering Department
Urban Space
▪ Urban space is designated to all types of space
between buildings in towns and other localities.
▪ It is geometrical bounded by a variety of elevations.
▪ It includes a variety of elements and activities.
▪ it is only the clear legibility of its geometrical
characteristics and aesthetic qualities which allow us
consciously to perceive external space as urban space.
▪ Spatial enclosure is the prerequisite of perceiving the
urban space
▪ It is the result of the geometrical characteristics of the
volume of air enclosed by any type of enclosing
elements
▪ The geometrical characteristics of the volume of air
means:
o Form of enclosure
o Degree of enclosure
o Types of enclosure
o Scale of enclosure
It is the geometrical characteristic which determine the
extension of space in one direction rather than the
others as well as its regularity .
It depends on two main factors:
a) The ratio between the length and the width of space
b) The regularity of the spatial relationship between
enclosing elements.
a) The ratio between the length and the width of space

Central space
Deep space
Linear space
b) The regularity of the spatial relationship between enclosing
elements.

regular space
irregular space
It is the geometrical characteristic
which determine the extend to
which the urban space enclose its
elements.
It depends on two main factors:
a) The ratio between the width of
space and the height of its
boundaries.
b) The spatial relationship
between enclosing elements.
a) The ratio between the width of space and the height of its
boundaries.
The degree of enclosure-the sense of space-is largely
determined by the relation of viewing distance to
building height as seen by the normal frontal field of
view.
Full enclosure:
When a facade height equals the distance from a
building (a 1 to 1 relationship) the cornice is at a 45°
angle from the line of the forward horizontal sight.
Threshold of enclosure:
When a facade height equals one-half the distance
from a building ( 1 to 2) it coincides with the 30°
upper limit of the normal view. This is the threshold of
distraction, the lower limit for creating a feeling of
enclosure
Minimum enclosure:
When facade height equals one-third the distance
from the building ( 1 to 3), the top at about an 18°
angle. At this proportion, the prominent objects
beyond the space as much as the space itself.
Loss of enclosure:
When the facade height is one-fourth our distance
away from the building ( 1 to 4) the top at a 14°
angle, and the space loses its containing quality and
peripheral facades function more as edges. The
sense of space is lost.
b) The spatial relationship between enclosing elements.
The spaces between buildings should
stimulate the human senses and the degree of
enclosure.

No enclosure Partial enclosure Strong enclosure

▪ It is geometrical characteristic which determine the
extend to which the urban space boundaries are
temporally variable natural regular and allow visual
extension
▪ It depends on two main factors:
a) The nature of enclosing elements whether natural or
heavily man made.
b) The visual extension outside the boundaries of
space.
There are two primary types of spaces:
▪ Hard spaces
▪ Soft spaces
▪ Hard spaces are those principally bounded by
architectural walls, often these are intended to function
as major gathering places for social activity.
▪ Soft spaces are those dominated by the natural
environment, whether inside or outside the city. In the
urban setting they are the parks and gardens and
linear greenways that provide opportunities for
recreation or retreat from the built environment.
▪ It is the relationship between the physical dimensions
of urban space which determine its size on one side
and the human physical dimensions on the other.
▪ Due to this relationship it could be differentiate
between four different scales:
a) Intimate scale
b) Urban scale
c) Monumental scale
d) Universal scale
▪ Width from 3 to 15 meters
▪ Absence of sky awareness
▪ Proximity of objects and people
▪ Details are dominate
▪ Masses are not perceived
▪ Encourage social interaction
▪ Prevailing shadow
▪ Limited means of transport
▪ Feeling of belonging
▪ Width from 12 to 40 meters
▪ Weakness of sky awareness
▪ Proximity of objects and people
▪ Details are minor
▪ Masses are more dominate
▪ Weak social interaction
▪ Shadow in one side only
▪ Variety of means of transport
▪ Feeling of publicity
▪ Width from 30 to 60 meters
▪ Strong sky awareness
▪ Distance of objects and people
▪ Details are not perceived
▪ Masses of group of buildings
▪ No social interaction
▪ Shadow is very limited
▪ Variety of means of transport
▪ Feeling of monumentality
▪ Width is not limited
▪ Sky is the dominate
▪ People are in-groups
▪ Nature are dominate
▪ Sky line is dominate
▪ Social interaction group level
▪ Sheds are needed for shadows
▪ Private means of transport
▪ Recreational and natural
interaction
▪ There are three important components of successful
urban space:
a) The three dimensional frame
b) The two dimensional pattern
c) The placement of objects in space.
▪ The three dimensional frame defines the edges of
the space, the degree of enclosure and the
characteristics of the spatial wall. Transparency,
opacity, openings and surface ornament have
significant impact on the character of space, as does
the relationship of vertical mass to horizontal space.
The scale of the wall in relation to human scale and
the way this frame meets the ground plane.
▪ The two dimensional pattern refers to the treatment
and articulation of the ground plane- its materials,
texture and composition.
▪ Objects in space are those elements such as
sculpture, water features and trees that provide
accents or focal points and make the space
memorable. Objects can be used to anchor the center
and to give vitality to spaces. The most vital elements
of all are the human actors who use the space, giving
it life.
Form of Central Deep Linear
Enclosure
Regular Irregular
Degree of Enclosed Semi- Not Enclosed
Enclosure enclosed
Type of Hard Hard-Soft Soft-Hard Soft
Enclosure
Scale of Intimate Urban Monumental Universal
Enclosure
Thank you…