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Sunday, February 19, 2012

John Peponis explains: What do we Mean by Syntax in the Spatial Analysis of Architecture?


In this video John Peponis describes the meaning of Syntax in the Spatial Analysis of Architecture. You can watch it here.

Once design aims are stated, the analytical techniques and measures embedded in UCL Depthmap, Taubman College Syntax-2D, KTH Place Syntax and Spatial Positioning Tool, Figueiredo’s Mindwalk, Shpuza’s Qelize, Georgia Tech Spatialist and Spatialist_Lines, or other similar computational tools for spatial analysis can be used to evaluate alternative design proposals, or to assist their further development and refinement. The more sensitive the tool is to design geometry the more precise and thus the more fully developed the input must be prior to analysis and measurement.
In their present state, these tools cannot be used to generate a design proposal, except through an analysis of the spatial structure of the relevant context; for example, the connectivity of the environment of an urban site; or, the shape of a building shell as it frames the design of internal circulation. Nor can they be used to facilitate the formulation of design aims other than in general terms. It is not always clear whether they can be usefully applied to preliminary design diagrams.

I would maintain that this is not an entirely unpleasing state of affairs. The original aims of space syntax as a program of architectural research never included the replacement of design intuition or imagination by some “expert system”.


more about Space Syntax:

Social exclusion and transportation in Peachtree City Georgia

MEASURING WALKING. TOWARDS INTERNATIONALLY STANDARDISED MONITORING METHODS OF WALKING AND PUBLIC SPACE

Flat City; a space syntax derived urban movement network model

QUANTIFYING THE QUALITATIVE: an evaluation of urban ambience

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