Living Morphology In Asian Cities

Abstract

The writing of the book is partially based on the teaching materials for the course Architectural History in Asian and elective course Housing in Urban Development in the last 20 years. It is also based on research projects on urban and housing morphology published in 12 research papers. Owing to rapid urbanisation in Asia, globalisation in the world and ‘The Belt and Road Initiative’ in China and south and west Asia, understanding and sustaining different living cultures in Asia is urgently needed, and urban housing morphology is an important component. However, information and research on comparative bases are still limited. This research follows the theory of Deleuze and Grattari (1986), French linguists who pioneered the study of non-Western culture. Their Network and Rhizome theory rejects all dualistic divisions, such as the East and West and history and the present. The theory demonstrates that all things exist simultaneously, and their relationships are organic and dynamic. The built environment is a complex and organic structure where a given kind of element is contained by another, which in turn is included by another element. Urban housing fabric has a hierarchy of primary elements (Kropf, 1996: 247–263). An understanding of built environment is acquired through history and by examining the acts and processes that have contributed to the formation and transformation of urban housing. The change is evolutionary and is a gradual process. Thus, distinguishing periods or phases for a given city or region is carefully documented in the book. The book will serve as a reference for companies, institutions, administrations and professionals involved in urban housing development. It will be resource book of urban and housing design for architects in China and in Southeast Asia. At the academic level, the research and publication will provide a deepened and coherent understanding of the morphological patterns of urban form and housing, the tangible heritage for civilization in this region. The book is a part of documentation of civilizations in Asia. It will enhance the academic position of our department in Asia study. Foreword Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Morphological Research in Housing Chapter 3 Urban Form and Housing in Asia: a Comparison Chapter 4 Urban Housing Cases 01_Kyoto, Japan 02_Kobe, Japan 03_Seoul, Korea 04_Hanoi, Vietnam 05_Bangkok, Thailand 06_Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 07_ Melaka, Malaysia 08_Singapore 09_Jakarta (Batavia), Indonesia 10_Dhaka, Bangladesh 11_Kathmandu, Nepal 12_Dehli, India 13_Jaipur, India 14_Islamabad, Pakistan 15_Sana’a, Yemen 16_Mecca, Saudi Arabia 17_ Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 18_Isfahan, Iran 19_Baghdad, Iraq 20_Aleppo, Syria Chapter 5 Conclusion: Back to the Future Bibliography Appendices Index Editor’s Biographies