Urbanism as syntax
Introduction
Space syntax[1] is a geographical approach that encompasses a set of theories and techniques for the analysis of spatial configurations. It is based on the fact that in an urban environment all spaces are interconnected and where all parts are linked to the others. This approach represents a tool for analyzing urban morphology and pursues the prediction of human spatial behavior in urban environments..[2].
It was originally conceived by Bill Hillier, Julienne Hanson and their colleagues at University College London in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a tool to help architects simulate the potential social effects of their designs.[3].
General approach
The general idea in space syntax is that spaces can be broken down into components, analyzed as choice networks, and then represented as maps and graphs that describe the relationship of connectivity and integration of those spaces. It is based on three basic concepts of space:
From these three concepts, space syntax attempts to quantify and describe the level of ease in moving through any space, being useful for urban and architectural design (museums, airports, hospitals, shopping centers and other centers where route finding is an important issue). Space syntax is applied to predict the correlation between spatial designs and social effects such as crime, the flow and movement of traffic and pedestrians, spatial accessibility, social cohesion and exclusion, sales per unit area, etc.
Space syntax has become a tool used around the world in a wide variety of areas of research, design and application in the fields of architecture, urban design and planning, transportation and interior design.
Typically, this analysis uses one of many software programs that allow researchers to graphically analyze one or more of the major spatial components: using convex polygons or from axial lines. The axial line") is the longest straight line that links two convex polygons and is linked to the notion of visibility. These types of spatial representation are called convex maps or axial maps, respectively.
References
- [1] ↑ «Space Syntax _ Sintaxis del Espacio _ Sintaxis Espacial – configuración de la red urbana de la ciudad. Integración, segregación, conectividad, ciudades inteligentes, QGIS y Space Syntax Toolkit». Consultado el 14 de marzo de 2025.: https://sintaxisespacial.com/
- [2] ↑ Hillier, Bill; Hanson, Julienne (1989). The social logic of space. Cambridge University Press.
- [3] ↑ Hillier, Bill; Leaman, Adrian; Stansall, Paul; Bedford, Michael (1976). «Space syntax». Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design (London, England: SAGE Publications) 3 (2): 147-185. Bibcode:1976EnPlB...3..147H. S2CID 220298526. doi:10.1068/b030147.: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1976EnPlB...3..147H