The form of the city: Some contrasting philosophies

Abstract

From the dawn of history, man has been a creature apart, constantly stri­ving to lift himself above his animal state by sparks of superior intelli­gence. His ability to think and adapt may have added a certain undefinable distinctive urge towards order and simple geometry, arising also from the fact that all the animal and vegetable world surrounding him sprang from basic forms and processes. Once primitive man emerged from his cave, altered requirements of shelter, sur­vival and food compelled him to adapt his environment as never before. The moment man wove some artificial pattern on the crust of mother earth, whether for crops or ritual, a new dimension was established between his geometry and the natural landscape. Whether regular or irregular, beautiful or chaotic, the first primitive group settlements were man’s first steps in spatial organization and built form. Thus the geometry of man versus the biology of nature is an exciting factor in the recent history of our universe.