City Square (Historical Context, Development Drivers, Spatial Quality)

Author: Cai Yongjie
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: In Europe, urban squares are an ancient cultural phenomenon; in China, urban squares are a widely issue in urban construction. This book takes the observation and analysis of 40 typical urban squares abroad (from ancient Greece to the modern era) as a, elucidating the social dynamics behind the emergence and development of urban squares. It attempts to construct a comprehensive outline of urban squares from the dual perspectives of sociology and architecture, arguing that the overall quality of urban squares should be an organic unity of spatial quality and social quality. It also attempts to conduct quantitative research on them, proposing an objective evaluation system for urban square quality.
According to this system, the book reviews the construction history and current status of typical urban squares in China (18 squares in 14 cities from the modern era to the present), analyzes the spatial characteristics and social dynamics of traditional Chinese cities, and points out that traditional Chinese cities lacked the spatial element of urban squares. The emergence of urban squares in China was influenced by Western urban culture, and today, most urban squares in China are merely display elements, lacking a connection with urban life and citizens. The book provides in-depth historical analysis with detailed and well-organized textual and visual materials. Its analysis and evaluation of square quality are objective and clear, particularly in breaking down the various influencing factors, making it highly practical and suitable for application in design. This book is recommended for readers and practitioners in architecture design, urban design, urban planning, urban management, and related fields.