Introduction to Urban Design

History of Human Settlements

Ancient Times

• Nomadic Lifestyle: Nomads lacked permanent homes, forming small groups (20-30) that wandered in search of food.
• Living Conditions: Early humans lived in the open; occasionally took shelter in trees or caves by rivers, lakes, and springs for protection.
• Mobility: Migration was necessary when food became scarce or gathering resources was difficult.

Transition to Settled Habitation

• Cultivation: Between 10,000 BC to 5,000 BC, humans began practicing agriculture, allowing them to settle near cultivated fields.
• Settlement Preferences: Settlements favored fertile lands with abundant water sources.
• Construction: Development of huts and mud houses marked the transition to semi-permanent settlement.

Community and Social Structure

• Emergence of Traders: Traders, often from hunting tribes, became community leaders, accumulated wealth, and gained knowledge through travel.
• Social Stratification: The establishment of social classes began with traders ascending to positions of power as chieftains.
• Physical Structure of Settlements: Wealthier individuals built homes near the chieftain’s castle, creating a divide between rich and poor in the community.

Defensive Measures

• Walled Settlements: Walls were constructed around settlements to protect against human threats, leading to higher population density.
• Conflict Over Resources: As wealth disparity grew, tensions between rich and poor increased, necessitating fortifications.

Neolithic Cities (7000 – 9000 BC)

• Jericho: Featured a well-organized community of about 3,000 people, enclosed by a circular stone wall, reliant on a freshwater source.
• Khirokitia: An early settlement in Cyprus with no streets, characterized by circular structures and a central social area.
• Çatalhöyük: A large Neolithic city in Turkey with a population of 10,000, known for trade, specialized crafts, and a complex layout.

Notable Ancient Cities (2000 – 4000 BC)

• Mesopotamia: Cities formed around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, including Eridu (oldest city) and Babylon (largest with 80,000 inhabitants).
• Egyptian Civilization: Cities along the Nile, such as Thebes and Memphis, showcased monumental architecture and organized irrigation systems.

Indus Valley Civilization (2500 BC)

• Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa: Advanced urban centers with a grid layout, sophisticated sanitation, and evidence of religious administrative functions.

Chinese Civilization (1900 BC)

• Anyang: The largest city in the Yellow River Valley, an early example of a linear city structure.

Settlements in the Americas

The English Renaissance

• Planned Cities: Cities like Savannah (designed by James Oglethorpe) and Annapolis featured civic squares and governmental buildings as focal points.

Speculator’s Town

• Philadelphia: Designed by William Penn, development driven by speculation and planning based on guesswork.

The Industrial Revolution

• Machine Age: Marked a significant shift from manual labor to assembly line production.
• Schools of Thought: Emerged during this era included reform movements and specialized approaches to urban design.