A New Theory of Urban Design
01/01/1987The sixth volume of “The Center for Environmental Structure Series” on architecture published by Oxford University Press, “A New Theory of Urban Design” attempts to recapture the process by which cities develop organically. The venerable cities of the past, such as Venice or Amsterdam, convey a feeling of wholeness, an organic unity that surfaces in every detail, large and small, in restaurants, shops, public gardens, even in balconies and ornaments. However, this sense of wholeness is lacking in modern urban design.
To discover the kind of laws needed to create a growing “whole” in a city, the authors propose a preliminary set of seven rules. The rules embody the process at a practical level and are consistent with the day-to-day demands of urban development. They then put these rules to the test, setting out with a number of graduate students to simulate the urban redesign of a high-density part of San Francisco, initiating a project that encompassed some ninety different design problems, including warehouses, hotels, fishing piers, a music hall, and a public square. This extensive experiment is documented project by project, with detailed discussion of how each project satisfied the seven rules, accompanied by floor plans, elevations, street grids, axonometric diagrams and photographs of the scaled-down model, which clearly illustrate the discussion.
“A New Theory of Urban Design” provides an entirely new theoretical framework for the discussion of urban problems, one that goes far to remedy the defects which cities have today.
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A New Theory of Urban Design: Expressing impressions and questions, after reading the book, suggesting new points for development by the students regarding the experiment; other books mentioned as well
01/01/1987
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An eloquent letter to remind Christopher Alexander of their acquaintance and discuss the profound feelings their common interests elicit, as well as the translation of "A New Theory of Urban Design" in Persian, which is nearing completion. Enclosed is a letter in Persian from Mr. Javadi to Alexander, translated in English by the sender
28/05/1994
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A New Theory of Urban Design: Book early version
01/01/1983
328-page early manuscript of the book; its Table of Contents in four parts as follows — Part I: A New Theory of Urban Design, Part II: The Simulation of the Waterfront Development, Part III: Design of Buildings and Construction System, ...
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The San Francisco Waterfront Experiment - A New Approach to Urban Design: Book early version
01/01/1982
A bound copy with corrections and division into chapters.
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Una Nuova Teoria di Urban Design / A New Theory of Urban Design: Prepress proof
29/04/1996
Draft of the Italian translation of “A New Theory of Urban Design”; sent to Christopher Alexander by Oxford University Press for his review.
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Commenting on the article "Perspectives - Manifesto 1991" and the book "A New Theory of Urban Design"; attached is a thesis abstract, inviting Christopher Alexander for discussion
28/09/1994
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Letter accompanying the drawings of the 90 individual projects included in the San Francisco Waterfront experimental project, with a work plan for the new academic quarter
01/10/1979
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Arch. 203 Design III The San Francisco Waterfront, and Arch. 291 Theory III on Urban Design: List of the 89 individual projects
01/06/1979
List of the eighty nine projects included in the San Francisco Waterfront simulation, with the name of the project and the first name of the student who did the project. Sixteen students attended the design studio, and each one contributed ...
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Arch. 203 Design III The San Francisco Waterfront, and Arch. 291 Theory III on Urban Design: Student Drawings for six projects
01/06/1979
Sixteen representative drawings in six sets corresponding to the projects Leslie Moldow proposed and did in the San Francisco Waterfront simulation; Project No. 1 – Gateway, Project No. 12 -Educational Center, Project No. 20 – Row of Houses, Project No. ...
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Arch. 203 Design III The San Francisco Waterfront, and Arch. 291 Theory III on Urban Design: Student Drawings for six projects
01/06/1979
Twenty one representative drawings in six sets corresponding to the projects James McLane proposed and did in the San Francisco Waterfront simulation; Project No. 2 – Hotel, Project No. 33 – Office and House, Project No. 54 – Music Conservatory, ...
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Arch. 203 & Arch 291, Spring 1979 - Design III The San Francisco Waterfront, and Theory III On Urban Design: The Simulation itself
05/03/1979
4-page description of the procedure to be followed for the simulation project, including the basic guidelines and requirements both for the group and for each individual student.
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Arch. 203 & Arch 291, Spring 1979 - Design III The San Francisco Waterfront, and Theory III On Urban Design: Tasks and class assignments
05/03/1979
Six pages with requirements of assignments. The first has the title “Levels of Submission required for Approval”; the second “Here are some really fun rules for making your drawings” and provides requirements for the scale and sizes of drawings; the ...
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Arch. 203 & Arch 291, Spring 1979 - Design III The San Francisco Waterfront, and Theory III On Urban Design: Tentative Rules for the Urban Game and Open Questions in the Urban Game
05/03/1979
Two pages with specific instructions of how to conduct the simulation.