City in layers-part 2- An urban design concept

Cuthbert delivers an urban design method based on the notion of cities are built and formed as an outcome of interaction of different factors in the process of city creation. He provides a framework to understand city creation by studying the impact of history, politics, culture, typologies, environment, and so on. In one way or another his framework is built to illustrate how these factors shape the urban space, how monuments affect the creation of public space, cultural buildings create dominance in the city, how urban forms are aligned in city road network.

City in layers VS Linkage theory

Trancik presents a notion of the linkage theory developed by Fumihiko Maki that involves the organization of buildings and spaces around or tangent to linked spatial lines. He considers his method of urban design as a musical note with the notes around a straight line giving the music the final form. The method is composed of three distinctive arrangements.

The image above illustrates the three typologies of the linkage theory

Compositional Form is implied rather than overt; the buildings are composed of two-dimensional planes creating a magnetic field of spaces and buildings .it is a typical functional planning.

The Mega form is a hierarchal, open –ended system where a linear framework is connected to the buildings in physically imposed method.

Group Form is a type of structure of incremental accumulation along an armature of communal open space; the linkage is naturally and organically organized.

People movement a city layer creating an urban form .

Shane does not differ than Cuthbert in presenting urban design in understanding fragmentation of urban forms and spaces. He illustrates the similar themes of linking buildings, urban spaces, and building forms but in a bigger scale the megapolis.

Here we discuss the distinctive concept of layers in creating the city in professional practice. The pedestrian movement is one of the main layers considered in the urban design process in practice, Building forms and its relationship with others, the urban space and its connectivity, and the road networks. These layers consist of sub layers that influence its creation and its arrangement; various engineering disciplines are involved in the process of urban design and interacting accordingly through the process regardless the theory base or method or theory adopted. The theory represents a general idea about the shape of the city but does not represent actually the creation method. What we need to answer here what are the priorities here and which layer is considered the first layer in the design process?    

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