Typo-morphological Approach to

Transforming an Urban Fabric

Tushar gaur:
ar.tushar@gmail.com
Shoonya:
shoonyar@gmail.com

Typological approach
Typologists understand urban spaces as separate
entities and units. They typify urban spaces with
respect to attributes like form shape, size, number
of entrances, edge conditions etc. Krier states
that all types of spaces between buildings in
towns are urban space (space between buildings),
and that 'this space is geometrically bounded by a
variety of elevations'. This concept of (urban)
space is extremely simplistic. A typology is
understood in isolation void of any relations.

Morphological approach
Morphologists are interested in
generative structure of space. But
the study is a-historical. Understand
urban morphology taking urban form
and space as a static feature. The
concern remains in socialgeometrical socio-economical
aspects of space structuring; also
focusing on transportation and
movement.

Typo-morphological
approach
Typo-morphological studies reveal the physical and spatial structure
of cities. Typo-morphology is a conceptualization of the relationship
between physical and social aspect of space. They are typological
and morphological because they describe urban form (morphology)
based on detailed classifications of buildings and open spaces by
type (typology).Typo-morphology is the study of urban form derived
from studies of typical spaces and structures.' (Moudon 1994)TypoMorphological' studies are 'object-oriented' with both the built and
their related urban space, essentially treated as 'objects', and
interconnected units. Emphasis is thus not so much into the study of
individual building types or in the categorization of urban spaces in
isolation, but in the study of the relationship between building types
and their related urban open space. Buildings and their related open
spaces are seen complimentary interconnecting units of space that
are made and manipulated by their owners or users. Together they
constitute the 'urban fabric.

Typo-morphological
approach
Typo-morphological approach is sensitive to the engraved historicity
in the urban form as well it understands the needs and aspirations
of the city. Typo-morphologists are interested in typologies of
relationships between built form and urban space. A non static
attitude to urban fabric is central to this idea hence at times also
called as typo- morphogenesis. Ground analysis and explanation in
history and evolution of material space are the prime aspects.
This approach takes into consideration 3 aspects
Relation between building types and related urban spaces
Sensitivity to history
And an outlook that a city is not static at any given point.