The definition of syntactic types: The generation, analysis, and sorting of universes of superblock designs

Abstract

Syntactic types are defined as sets of designs with particular properties. We are specifically interested in the definition of deformed grids, a particular type of street network internal to superblocks. The superblocks under study are surrounded by arterial streets and have traversing local main streets and internal street infills. The argument takes advantage of three kinds of rules or algorithms: generative rules that produce a universe of designs, analytical algorithms that can be applied to the description of properties of interest for each member of the universe, and query or sorting rules that allow us to identify those members of the universe that have particular ranges and combinations of properties of interest. The iterative application of analytical and sorting algorithms assists the transition from an intuitive to formalized definitions of type.