I URBAN SPACES' Comparative uses, size, and character by Merle W. Hansen B. Arch., University of Oklahoma, 1972 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture in Advanced Studies at the MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY June, '1977 Signature of author------.-..................Department of Architecture, May 12, 1977 Certified by.... Eduardo Catalano, Professor.... of Architecture Thesis supervisor Accepted by....... ......... Eduardo Catalano, Chairman Departmental committee for graduate students Rotcai JUN 9 1977 1 Copyright @ Merle W. Hansen 1977 -- I. Acknowledgements The author gratefully acknowledges the following people who assisted in the development of this thesis: Professor Eduardo Catalano, Thesis Advisor Department of Architecture Massachusetts Institute of Technology Loren Ahles, Architect Massachusetts Institute of Technology Pete Blewett, Architect Massachusetts Institute of Technology Kathryn Hansen, Editor This thesis is dedicated to Kathryn. - -. 0awommliL - - Fable of contents Title page 1 Acknowledgments 3 Table of Contents 5 Abstract 7 Comparative Analysis 10 Urban Spaces 1. Santiago de Compostela - Santiago, Spain 13 2. The Central Area - San Gimignano, Italy 17 3. Piazza del Campo - Siena, Italy 21 4. Piazza del Popolo - Todi, Italy 24 5. Piazza della Signoria - Florence, Italy 26 6. Piazza Annunziata - Florence, Italy 30 7. The Campidoglio - Rome, Italy 32 8. Plaza Mayor - Salamanca, Spain 36 9. The Spanish Steps - Rome, Italy 39 10. Amalienborg Square - Copenhagen, Denmark 43 11. Place des Vosges - Paris, France 47 12. Darbar Square - Patan, Nepal 51 13. Darbar Square - Bhadgaon, Nepal 54 14. City Hall Plaza - Boston, Massachusetts 56 Bibliography 61 Abstract Urban Spaces Comparative uses, size, and character by Merle W. Hansen Submitted to the Department of Architecture on May 12, 1977 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture in Advanced Studies When a student of architecture attempts to Each square is accompanied by a smaller area study the morphology, character, scale, and plan to show the relationship between the life of outstanding urban spaces of the square and the approaching streets emptying world, he faces a disparity of information into it. The approach to a square in many that is seldom combined into a single source cases is an integral part of the overall The material usually includes photographs experience. Unfortunately, due to the and drawings (some of which are incomplete, restrictions of reproduction and thesis for- too small to understand, or at different mat, the larger squares are not shown at the scales). There is a need, therefore, to same scale as the majority of the plan draw- consolidate that scattered body of infor- ings. mation into a concise, regular format in which urban spaces can be compared without countless hours of cross referencing archi- tectural texts. To compare some of the significant urban Eduardo Catalano, Thesis supervisor spaces, this thesis attempts to discuss Professor of Architecture briefly the historical development of the square, its use, and the organizing elements characteristic of its period, to show graph- ically the comparative sizes by drawing the spaces at the same scale whenever possible, and by delineating the detail of the build- ings around the square, the shadows cast by the buildings, and furnishings, to attempt to capture the character of the square. Urban spaces 3 4 LA5 a 4 lh. 11 Comparative analysis All the squares on these two pages are shown at the same scale, 1" = 300' within an urban area of 160 acres (one quarter mile by one-quarter mile) to show their comparative size and relation to the adjacent urban fabric. Plans 14 1. Santiago de Compostela - Santiago, Spain 2. The Central Area - San Gimignano, Italy 3. Piazza del Campo - Siena, Italy 4. Piazza del Popolo - Todi, Italy 5. Piazza della Signoria - Florence, Italy 6. Piazza Annunziata - Florence, Italy 7. The Campidoglio - Rome, Italy 8. Plaza Mayor - Salamanca, Spain 9. The Spanish Steps - Rome, Italy 10. Amalienborg Square - Copenhagen, Denmark 11. Place des Vosges - Paris, France 12. Darbar Square - Patan, Nepal 13. Darbar Square - Bhadgaon, Nepal 14. Lower Plaza, Rockefeller Center - New York, New York !W Stu 15. City Hall Plaza - Boston, Massachusetts 15 - ---- 1 Santiago de Compostela Santiago, Spain The eleventh century marked the beginnings of what is today one of Spain's architectural landmarks. The center of religious faith in Spain, the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela stands out as a religious shrine of the west- ern world. After the discovery of the remains of the apostle St. James on the site of Santiago de Compostela, a small nave was constructed, and then a modest church was built in 899 both under the direction of King Alfonso II. By the eleventh century, as more and more pilgrims journeyed to this shrine, Don Diego Pelaez saw the need for a greater church to serve as a climax to the long pilgrimages. Plans for the cathedral were commenced, and the cathedral was consecrated in 1211. During the succeeding centuries, the cathedral and its facades under- went continual renovations. Ornate decorations 13 which ran the gamut of architectural styles were added to the original Romanesque work. Up until the eighteenth century vast sums of money were lavished on the cathedral's remodeling, but since then, the sums have been more modest, and the church was spared further nineteenth and twentieth century renovations. The medieval Spanish plazas that surround the cathedral are separate and distinct spaces, not linked or organized into any kind of unified whole. The random plazas are diverse in size, orientation, and level with no attempt at an overall spatial organization. The plazas pro- vide no contribution to the buildings around them and no complement to one another. They are only loosely connected by passageways, stair- cases, ramps and covered corridors. Ultimately, the plazas provide two things: space for the gatherings of pilgrims, and a link from the streets to the cathedral by means of the stair- cases. The plazas are typically Spanish; that is, they are irregular open spaces and multi-leveled with connecting staircases. Of the five plazas surrounding the cathedral, the Plaza de Alfon- so XII or Plaza de Obradoiro along the western facade is the largest and most regular plaza. 0 Conceived in 1783 by Fernando Casa y Novoa, the plaza opens onto a hospital, the Palacio Con- sistorial, and the Colegio de San Jeronimo. Scale Its famous elaborate staircase is the focus of Area plan 1" = 300' this plaza. Smaller and more intimate, the Site plan 1" = 60' Plazuela de las Platerias in front of the southern transept has fifteen broad steps that Plan key lead to the church. This plaza provides a 1. Santiago de Compostela Cathedral transition to the larger Plaza de la Liter- 2. Plaza del Obradoiro arios behind the church and the Plaza Quintana 3. Plazuela de las Platerias nearby. On the north side of the cathedral is 4. Plaza Quintana the Plaza de la Inmaculada which is linked to 5. Plaza Inmaculada the others by means of angular passageways. 6. Plaza de la Literarios L-A-z'll I" 1.1. owok .11. l.I . .L L L I. -I... I . U LIJ, L LI IAldiwA ILw ,.I ia .. .. ii;I 4F -~1 3 7177111"T7i" 41- Tx a - -. dMM*WXW 2 The Central Area San Gimignano, Italy The central area, comprising three contiguous piazzas -- Piazza della Cisterna, Piazza del Duomo, and Piazza delle Erbe -- form the phys- ical and social center of the small medieval hill town of San Gimignano, forty kilometers south of Florence. The physical shape of the town was derived from two early ninth century settlements and their circuit of defensive walls. After the church was built in the eleventh century, a market place, the Piazza del Duomo, was created in front of it; and a major commercial route, the Via Francisca developed. As the population grew, the market place acquired new importance, and in 1273 an open space, the Piazza della Cisterna, was created with the well as a focus. Unlike some older Italian towns, San Gimignano has retained much of the medieval spirit with its menacing towers, palaces, and piazzas. Every wealthy and powerful family erected a high &ower over its palace as a symbol of dom- inance and for security from rival families. The towers served as a place of refuge during seige and a place for defensive attacks. As many :s seventy-seven towers existed in San Gimignano; hundreds more existed in larger cities such as Florence. After battles or confic-ts, the tower of a defeated rival was often razed. As regional governments became stronger, individual battlements and towers which ere the symbols of resistance and autonomy were not tolerated. Fortuneately in San Gimignano, the local government permitted many of the towers in the center of the town to remain. Towers are the unique formal elements of San Gimignano. From a distance they define the town. The towers provide orientation to the sequence of piazzas and assist to define their volumes. 0 Activities in the two main piazzas are differ- entiated. The Piazza del Duomo, symbolically situated on higher ground with the two tallest towers, functions as the center of public act- Scale ivities -- religious, governmental, and comm- Area plan 1" = 300' ercial. The Piazza della Cisterna, on lower Site plan 1" = 40' ground, functions as the center of personal activities -- socializing and shopping. Plan key 1. Piazza della Cisterna The disparity in scale between towers and 2. Piazza del Duomo adjacent buildings provides a sense of monu- 3. Piazza delle Erbe mentality to the piazzas despite their actual 4. Water well small size. 5. via Francisca aiLIJmjlilil A .1 > / KI I ii - y- _ Q l JQ - Ih 3 Piazza del Campo Siena, Italy Locatdd in the medieval city of Siena, fifty- five kilometers south of Florence in the heart of Tuscany, this square is situated at the geographic center of the three contiguous hilltop cummunities that compose the present municipality of Siena -- Camollia, Citta, and San Martino.