The impact of land-division on long-term occupation – : The possibility of such a thing as natural occupation

• Within space syntax, occupation on the urban level is usually studied as occupation in the continuous space we commonly refer to as the streetscape of cities. But cities obviously do not only consist of the continuous space of streets and squares, but also consist of the discontinuous space that we commonly refer to as blocks. On the level of the city, streets and squares can be primarily regarded as spaces for movement and blocks primarily as spaces for occupation. By extension, it can be explanatory to say that cities on the most fundamental level are spatial answers to the reconciliation between the two generic functions of movement and occupation. Regarding movement, Hillier et al. (1993) has formulated a most convincing and useful concept in ‘natural movement’. To bring the generic function of occupation on a par with that of movement in the discussion on urban form, maybe we can use this concept as an analogy, asking ourselves what ‘natural occupation’ would be. If natural movement is “the proportion of movement that is determined by the configuration of space itself, rather than by the presence of specific attractors or magnets”, (Hillier 1996) it is proposed in this paper that ‘natural occupation’ could be “the proportion of occupation that is determined by the division of space itself, rather than by the presence of specific briefs or regulations”. Hillier, B., et al.(1993): ‘Natural movement: or, configuration and attraction in urban pedestrian movement’, Environment & Planning B vol. 20. Hillier, B., 1996, Space is the machine, p. 161.

Ämnesord

HUMANIORA  -- Konst -- Arkitektur (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Arts -- Architecture (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

urban form

space syntax

working areas

urban diversity

land-division

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)