03- SOCIOCULTURAL BASIS & HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Prehistoric & Ancient Times

Natural factors that affect the development and growth of urban areas

• Potential for natural calamities (fire, flooding, volcano eruptions, etc.)

• Presence of fertile soil, bodies of water, and other natural resources

• Slope and terrain and other forms of natural defenses

• Climate

Linear

Axial

Radial

Grid

Precinctual

Rectilinear Land Pattern

Rectilinear Land Pattern

originated in agricultural societies, deriving from the obvious logic of parallel plowing.

Rectilinear Land Pattern

have endured the test of time because they are extremely suitable for orderly land planning, property ownership, and construction

Circular Land Pattern

Circular Land Pattern

came from the practices of herding communities

Circular Land Pattern

Enclosing the maximum amount of land with the minimum amount of fence

Circular Land Pattern

This was later applied to defensive architecture such as forts

KHIROKITIA

An archaeological site on the island of Cyprus dating from the Neolithic age

KHIROKITIA

had a population of about five hundred people and was protected by a massive stone wall almost 3 meters thick.

KHIROKITIA

First documented city with a major street

KHIROKITIA

CATAL HÜYÜK

The city dates back as far as 7400 BCE; by the third millennium BCE it had a population of about eight thousand.

CATAL HÜYÜK

The city consisted of rectangular flat roofed houses packed together into a single architectural mass with no streets or passageways

CATAL HÜYÜK

Largest Neolithic city

CATAL HÜYÜK

JERICHO

Early settlement in Israel enclosed with walls, built around a reliable source of water.

JERICHO

is one of the earliest continuous settlements in the world, dating perhaps from about 9000 BCE.

JERICHO

ERIDU

was revered as the oldest city in Sumer

ERIDU

continued to maintain its importance during the early Neo-Babylonian period but faded into obscurity after the rise of Babylon.

ERIDU

DAMASCUS

Founded in the 3rd millennium B.C., Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. In the Middle Ages, it was the centre of a flourishing craft industry, specializing in swords and lace.

DAMASCUS

DAMASCUS

Considered as the oldest continually inhabited city.

BABYLON

Nebuchadrezzar’s ______ was the largest city in the world, covering about 4 square miles (10 square km) with 80,000 to 200,000 inhabitants

BABYLON

THEBES AND MEMPHIS

Along the Nile River

THEBES AND MEMPHIS

Monumental architecture

THEBES AND MEMPHIS

Dependence on the Nile—dug canals for irrigation

THEBES AND MEMPHIS

Organized labor of a large number of workers.

THEBES AND MEMPHIS

MOHENJO-DARO AND HARAPPA

Administrative and religious centers with about 40,000 inhabitants

MOHENJO-DARO AND HARAPPA

Imposing citadels

MOHENJO-DARO AND HARAPPA

Advance civilization characterized by housing variations, sanitary, and sewage systems.

MOHENJO-DARO AND HARAPPA

ANYANG

an ancient city with a history of over 3,000 years and is one of the Eight Ancient Capitals of China, and also one of the best preserved. It is one of the key birthplaces of Chinese ancient culture.

ANYANG

Largest city of the Yellow River Valley

ANYANG

BEIJING

Founded approximately at the same location as it is today

CLASSICAL GREECE

Some of the earliest and most influential town planning principles evolved in classical Greece.

CLASSICAL GREECE

Each city-state was organized with an urban center and the surrounding countryside. Characteristics of the city in a polis were outer walls for protection, as well as a public space that included temples and government buildings

HIPPODAMUS OF MILETUS

Greek town planning was largely formulated by whom?

HIPPODAMUS OF MILETUS

He planned Greek towns using a rectilinear pattern of blocks that terminate in an irregular enclosing wall, largely determined by the topography.

POLIS

The city state with an ideal population of about 5,000 male citizens

POLIS

These towns contained a harbor, a market, a theater, a temple and other public buildings.

POLIS

The size of the towns are limited by the food supply obtainable from the surrounding region

POLIS

hen a town reaches the largest practical size, a new town is started at another nearby site

PALEOPOLIS

old town

NEOPOLIS

new town

AGORA

The center of activity in any Greek city.

AGORA

A large open area that served as the marketplace and meeting place for the town.

AGORA

Around the outside of the agora were long, open air buildings called stoas that had shops in the back.

AGORA

The citizens of the city would meet here to discuss politics, hear speeches, and buy goods.

AGORA

ACROPOLIS

Large cities often had a hill or high point in the town called the?

ACROPOLIS

This area would be used as a last area of defense if the city was attacked.

ACROPOLIS

City of the Gods

ACROPOLIS

TEMPLES

Often there were temples to the gods situated around the agora and in the Acropolis.

TEMPLES

Most cities had a single god called a patron god that the city was dedicated to.

TEMPLES

They would have a special large area and temple for their patron god.

TEMPLES

THEATERS

Many Greek cities had a large open-air theater where plays were held during festivals.

THEATERS

Greek theater was a popular form of entertainment.

THEATERS

Some theaters were large enough to hold over 10,000 people.

THEATERS

STADIUM

The Greeks also enjoyed sporting events and contests. They built large stadiums (called the stadion) and had gymnasiums.

hippodrome

The __________ was a stadium designed to hold chariot races.

STADIUM

HOUSES

Some areas of the city were designated for?

housing

In some towns the _______ was planned such that the soldiers lived in one area, the craftsmen in another, and the farmers in another area.

Greek homes

_______ were plain and closed off from the outside, but were quite open on the inside and centered around a large courtyard.

special sanctuary

Some towns also had a ___________ nearby. The sanctuary was a place dedicated to a god where the sick could go to be healed and people would go to hear prophesies about their future.

PRIENE, TURKEY

An Ancient Greek Town

ATHENS & SPARTA

One of the largest Greek Cities

orthogonal

A standard Roman city plan was based on a grid of ________ (laid out on right angles) streets.

ROMAN TOWN PLANNING

It was founded on ancient Greek city models, described by Hippodamus. It was used especially when new cities were established, e.g. in Roman coloniae.

ROMAN TOWN PLANNING

Largely derivative of Greek principles, but with some notable variations

rectilinear form

Roman towns used the __________ like the Greeks

cardo

The main street, oriented north-south, was called the

decumanus

The secondary main street, oriented east-west, was called the

Oppidum

One of the two types of Roman towns which is called commercial town

Castrum

One of the two types of Roman towns which is called military town

Republican Forum

Full of odd orders and informal layout.

Imperial Forum

Spacious and Open, layout is orderly.

INSULA

the apartment house for the poorest people.

INSULA

these houses usually had 3-4 stories and would be built from the cheapest materials like timber and poor concrete.

INSULA

the ground floor of an ______ was usually taken by shops, whose owner would most likely live right over it

INSULA

Those first floors could have water and were considered the best and more expensive parts of the building to rent. The upper stories were extremely crowded and usually taken by the poorest citizens and slaves,

INSULA

DOMUS

private family residence of modest to palatial proportions, found primarily in ancient Rome and Pompeii.

DOMUS

FAUCES

1

FAUCES

narrow entrance or passageway, the main entrance to a home, but with one side open to the street.