Customer Reviews

Town Spaces

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

-Summary
Rob Krier uses numerous examples of his urban design plans as a basis for understanding his underlying philosophy of urban design, which focuses on traditional neighborhood typologies and creating truly urban, human scaled environments.

-Thesis Paragraph
"The applied arts of architecture and urban design work with a set of objective theorems that do not have to be reinvented by every generation. The staging of spatial sequences in an urban architectural structure can draw upon a gigantic store of knowledge. Their geometrical parameters are infinitely variable, the opportunities for innovation based on a secured repertoire are boundless. The adherence to rules that are tried and true is not tainted the way copying is. Making use of the experiences of history does not brand one as an epigon or an eclectic. A profound knowledge of history enables us to confront emanations of the times critically and to hold alternative models up to the modern city."

-What I have gained from this book
I gained a practical understanding of how typology and to a certain extent morphology is applied to physical designs.

-Final Word
This is a great book for the studying typologist who has a firm grasp of theory but wishes to see that theory translated into practicable terms. This should not be read as an academic introduction to typology.

I wish that the book included more images and plans of each site before their work, so as to contrast between old and new. Without them it is hard to appreciate the benefits and change their projects bring to the area. The lack of the original site plan also makes it difficult to derive some of the reasoning for each of their changes. I also wish the book would have provided more annotations of the many images it includes. It is sometimes difficult to appreciate what each image brings to the discourse. It is for these reasons that I give the book four stars.

-Words/Phrases I found to be of particular relevance:
Typology, traditional neighborhood, traditional architecture, public space

-Notable quotations:
"The towns that have naturally grown over time represent our textbook of urban design and architecture. The secrets of their structures can hardly be grasped through books. One has to travel to research them and make comparisons between cities and from country to country."

"Technical innovations may change our lives ever so much, but at some point we fall on our feet again and notice that we are bound to these physical limitations, and the more technology gives us wings, the more they will gain in emotional significance."