Urban morphology and Historic Urban Landscape management: The case of Kolkata, India

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is twofold: to briefly describe the concepts, methods and measures of town plan analysis and space syntax; and to apply some of these concepts, methods and measures to the historic core of Kolkata in West Bengal, India, illustrating the usefulness of these approaches for the understanding and management of Historic Urban Landscapes. Using town plan analysis, the study traces the historical development of the morphology of the city showing how the city had come into existence and changed over time, and how its various components are fitted together creating a historically significant morphology. Using space syntax, the study traces changes in the structures of street networks of the city over time, and the effects of these structural changes on the distribution of land use and landmarks in the city. The study concludes that urban morphological studies can be a useful way to explore the processes of formation and change of Historic Urban Landscapes and to formulate appropriate strategies for their management.