B.Arch Programme, IX Semester Theory of Urban Design ARCH503

Amity School of Architecture and Planning
B.Arch Programme, IX Semester
Theory of Urban Design

ARCH503
Urban Form
Perception of Urban space
Contents
Contents
Learning Objectives
By end of this session you will be learn to

perceive urban environment or space with the
help of determinants of Urban form.
Learning Objectives
Form:
• Form is taken as the arrangement and discipline among various
components of any work.
• Form in the meaning of what is directly perceived by senses.
• Form is a concept that indicates the presence of something that
distinguishes it from other subjects.
• Form is the conceptual essence of something that is placed
opposite casual features.
• Form means contribution of the mind for understanding things.
4
Urban form:
Two types of urban form
• Organic
• Planned
5
Urban Determinants: (Already Studied)

Natural Determinants Man-made determinants
• Topography • Economic
• Climate • Political
• Water supply • Religious
• Building materials and technology • Defense
• Aesthetics
• Socio-cultural factors
• Leisure
• Scale
Perception of Urban space:

• Urban Space may be a very noticeable resultant of the determinants.
• It may be isolated or linked; may be purposely designed to display linkage or to

emphasize buildings and objects they contain.
• Space may be linear/corridors; squares; or reserves, based on their sizes they define
the hierarchy of spatial types, from small intimate sizes to urban squares and the
natural space within which the city is set.
Perception of Urban space through mass:

• Urban Mass refers to the arrangement of ground surface, buildings, and objects to
influence the quality of urban space and to shape urban activity patterns on both large
and small scales.
• In terms of massing, buildings may be projecting into space, be on a space, or in a
space.
• Our vision and light conditions govern the way we perceive masses…
– Vision: 45deg is for details; 30deg is for whole objects; 18deg is for object plus
context
– Light: under bright, clear sunlight the individual parts of objects will tend to stand
out…..as light subdues we tend to see less of details and more of the overall
object. Sculptured objects are best viewed under even light such as shadow light…
thus northern and southern facades may transmit details differently…..depending
our position in relation to solar patterns.
Sense of enclosure through mass:

• A fundamental requirement of Urban space is
actual urban enclosure, or its strong articulation
by Urban forms.
• Urban enclosure also becomes an important

component in setting up street scape.
Sense of enclosure in a street:



Scale:
Scale: refers to any system of measurement appropriate to the
context.
i) Proportion as an aspect of measurement introduces the aspect of

relativity
ii) A module is one part of a system of relative proportions, where one part
can combine with other parts to form a larger object
Applications of Scale in urban design:

• Scale and Human vision: our eyes have two fields of view – general and detailed. General
cone of vision 30 deg up; 45 deg down; 65 deg to either side.
• The above determines urban scale in several ways: we cannot see an object that is further
from us than 3500 times its size…8 feet is normal conversation distance; a person between 3
and 10 ft is in close relationship to us…use of normal voices; we can pick facial details up to
about 75ft. Beyond this, there is need to complement with gestures…up to about 450ft…also
maximum for distinguishing man from woman…maximum viewing distance for human
figures is around 4000ft.
Perception of Urban space using Scale:

Scale is determined by the different modes of movement based on their speeds and sizes,
but also characteristics in movement…express versus stop-over/interactive…
• Scale and circulation: scale is determined by the means we employ for movement
around the city as well as the way we move between cities across the country.
• Scale and neighbourhood size: The citizen numbers and levels of services will
determine the scale of a neighbourhood…the scale of a network of neighbourhoods
would determine the scale of the entire town.

• Scale in neighbouring buildings and spaces:
Buildings and spaces have to be in scale with people, as well as in scale with each
other….this will also apply to other variables like materials, colour, bulk, and siting.
Intentional variations in scale could be used to achieve emphasis and hierarchy in design
of buildings and spaces
• Scale and parameters: This is where we use attributes of familiar and known objects
and details such as cars, trees, humans, light poles e.t.c to judge the sizes of other
things near them

Scale versus Age, time, convenience and habit
• Our sense of urban scale varies with our ages and habits….the world of a child
begins with the home…as one grows the world enlarges and separate parts are linked
together…the scale of their world enlarges
• Our sense of urban scale is also determined by what we are accustomed to…
people adapt to environments with time…say getting used to the skyscrapers around
us.
• Urban scale may also vary with the temporal cycles of the city…the rush hour
with its fast traffic has a different view of scale to the sluggish period of the day, when
people have all the time to observe and pick details about the city.
Intimate scale
Urban scale
Monumental scale
Responsiveness:
Responsiveness could be sensual or environmental
• Sensual: attempt to cater for all the senses: Visual, Tactile,

Auditory, Olfactory, Kinaesthetic
• Environmental; that which provides users with essentially

democratic settings and enrich their opportunities by
maximising the degree of choice available to them; the
available techniques include:
19
Shape of an Urban form:

Characteristics and objectives of various shapes; pros
and cons.
Size and Density:

• Size: physical extent; no. of inhabitants
• Density: population density; unit (dwellings)
density; amount of building floor area in a given
section of the city (floor area index); automobile
density
• Relationship of size and density influences the
population distribution and urban massing

Pattern: the underlying geometry of city form…
mostly define by block and street layouts
Grain: degree of fineness or coarseness in an urban
area
Texture: the degree of mixture of fine and course
elements of urban form (even vs uneven)

• Voids within the city
• Urban spaces: formal…usually modelled by
building facades and the city’s floor
• Open spaces: natural, representing nature in the city
• One of the principal determinants of urban form are

the routes.
• Routes affect the appearance of the landscape
through which they pass as well as the architecture
and form of cities they serve.
• Clarity of routes in form and direction is a design concern

• Routes should have physical relationships and help define areas they serve
instead of just slashing through them, causing blight and disintegration
• Routes should artfully traverse the landscape, revealing its strong features.
• Approach routes present cities to us and enable us to fond our
destination…thus they both inform and conduct us.
• Surface arteries are major routes through the city…high volume traffic
• Local streets carry a mixture of people and vehicles; through traffic not
desirable.
Evaluation of streets:
• How streets tie together into the expressway pattern
• Clarity of form
• Relationship to cityscape
• How they shape building sites
• How they pass through existing districts
• Vehicular versus pedestrian traffic…any conflicts?...or complementary?
• Crossing levels…specific or not defined: stoplights, grade separation
• Through versus local traffic
• Scale; how size of streets relates to size of the districts they serve
Districts:
• These are:
areas/precincts/quarters/sectors/enclaves of
the city
• Often have dominant, distinctive, and

pervasive characteristic features
• The city is an arrangement of these.

Districts:
• Districts may be distinct, overlapping, uniform, complex.
• Two data categories to assess:
- Physical form
- Visible activity
• We assess:
- Components, appearance, activity, threats, emergence, relations
• Anatomy of a district: form, activity, features, paths, centres, intrusions,
change, improvement
Activity structures:
• This captures certain areas of the city with
characteristic functions; living, leisure,
learning e.t.c
• Activity structure will be affected by density,

topography, transportation routes.
Pedestrian:
• These address walking as a prime mode of
transportation…communication and inter-
movement.
• These should be creatively integrated with

motorised transportation.
• Traffic calming is a specific concern in design Adequacy of pavements: widths, paving,

of pedestrian areas…low speeds, minimal condition of repair, protection from elements of
through traffic, one way streets e.t.c weather, furniture and fittings
Intersections and crosspoints: impact on flow

rates, continuity, and sequence
Orientation:
• This is the logical articulation of the arrangement of a city’s anatomy expressed
visually
• A city lacking orientation is confusing and may cause confusion, anxiety and feeling of
getting lost
• Landmarks are the prime aids in orientation
Vistas and Skyline:

• Vistas are strong visual links
• May serve approach or departure purposes of urban areas…i.e views into
and out of a city.
• Some views are gazetted and legally protected as urban assets
• Vistas could be complemented by buildings
Skylines:
Skyline refers to the (3-dimensional)
compositional and sequential character of
urban spaces and buildings
• It is a representation of a city’s facts of life

and embraces the maximum amount of urban
form in a single visual output.
• Every building with a potential to alter a city’s

skyline should be studied carefully (ref. CBD
skyline exercise, B.A I)
Details:
• These include objects of various types for
direct/indirect or conscious/unconscious use:
signs, benches, waste bims, street lamps, e.t.c
• The quality of detail should be informed by

the nature of audience targeted.
References;
1. Urban forms in planning and Design by Shashikant Nishant Sharma, International Journal of
Research (IJR), Volume-1, Issue-1,February 2014
2. Sennett Richard 1969, Classical Essays on the Culture of Cities, Prentice Hall, New Jersey
3. The American City: What Works and What Doesn't
by Alexander Garvin (1995)
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Amity School of Architecture and Planning

B.Arch Programme, IX Semester

Theory of Urban Design

By end of this session you will be learn to

Urban Determinants: (Already Studied)

Perception of Urban space:

• It may be isolated or linked; may be purposely designed to display linkage or to

Perception of Urban space through mass:

Sense of enclosure through mass:

• Urban enclosure also becomes an important

Sense of enclosure in a street:

Sense of enclosure in a street:

Sense of enclosure in a street:

i) Proportion as an aspect of measurement introduces the aspect of

Applications of Scale in urban design:

Perception of Urban space using Scale:

Perception of Urban space using Scale:

Perception of Urban space using Scale:

Responsiveness could be sensual or environmental

• Sensual: attempt to cater for all the senses: Visual, Tactile,

• Environmental; that which provides users with essentially

Shape of an Urban form:

Size and Density:

Shape of an Urban form:

Shape of an Urban form:

• One of the principal determinants of urban form are

• Clarity of routes in form and direction is a design concern

• Often have dominant, distinctive, and

• The city is an arrangement of these.

• Activity structure will be affected by density,

• These should be creatively integrated with

• Traffic calming is a specific concern in design Adequacy of pavements: widths, paving,

Intersections and crosspoints: impact on flow

Vistas and Skyline:

• It is a representation of a city’s facts of life

• Every building with a potential to alter a city’s

• The quality of detail should be informed by

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