Hello

OK, after being mildly criticised for saying I would do something, and then
not do it, I will try harder to filter more Space Syntax - Second
International Symposium abstracts to you over the next few weeks using the
mailbase. Also, you should be able to check out http://www.spacesyntax.com
to see more abstracts in the next few days. I present below two abstracts
on two differing topics. Please note that these are the originally
submitted abstracts and do not take into account any revisions made at the
time of submitting the paper.

Best wishes

Mark David Major

Space Syntax - Second International Symposium
Brasilia, Brazil 29 March - 3 April 1999

Space Syntax Field Theory: The line as an emergent phenomenon

Alan Penn and Alasdair Turner

Virtual Reality Centre for the Built Environment
The Bartlett School of Graduate Studies
(Torrington Place Site)
University College London
Gower Street
London WC1E 6BT
England

tel     (44) (0)171 504 5919
fax     (44) (0)171 916 1887
email   [log in to unmask]
www     http://www.vr.ucl.ac.uk/

Space syntax analysis is currently a two stage process. First, a map of
continuous open space is subdivided into a finite number of elements such
as axial lines or convex spaces. In the second stage the axial or convex
map is represented in the form of a discrete graph of connectivity
relations between lines or spaces, and properties of the graph are
measured. Empirically, measures of the mean depth of the graph have been
found to predict observed pedestrian and vehicular flows. However, there
are clearly variations in configurational properties that occur from point
to point within open space or along the length of an axial line and which
current methods cannot represent or quantify. In particular, continuous
curving alignments and variations from segment to segment along the length
of an axial line pose problems for current methods.

Both the problem of continuous curves and the 'segment' problem rest
ultimately on the representation of continuous space by a finite number of
discrete entities. Curves must be approximated by flat surfaces and
vertices if an infinite number of convex spaces are not to be produced.
Similarly, given any 'element' with metric extent, there are clearly going
to be variations from point to point within it that a discrete
representation will be unable to quantify. At the basis of both of these
problems is the question of 'resolution'. What is the smallest deformation
of the boundary that needs to be taken into account and how does one
generalise the boundary to eliminate smaller deformations?

This paper paper proposes a new 'field theory' description of spatial
configuration which replaces the graph representation with a geometrical
transformation of the boundary. The key idea is to replace the justified
depth graph with a geometric and metric representation. The mathematics of
this transformation are developed to allow comparison of 'field depths'
from any point of view in a configuration. An analysis is then carried out
of the distribution of field depths in open space in a sample of
experimental configurations. This analysis suggests that the primary
spatial representation of current syntax, the 'axial line map', may itself
be an emergent phenomenon resulting from a global analysis of the spatial
field. The paper concludes that the discrete elements of conventional
syntax methods (axial lines and convex spaces) arise naturally as a
consequence of a lower level field representation which may be able to
unify axial and convex properties of space within a single description.

Space Syntax - Second International Symposium
Brasilia, Brazil 29 March - 3 April 1999

Housing Layout and Crime Vulnerability

Simon Chih-Feng Shu

The Bartlett School of Graduate Studies
(Torrington Place Site)
University College London
Gower Street
London WC1E 6BT
England

tel     (44) (0)171 813 4364
fax     (44) (0)171 813 4363
email   [log in to unmask]


Much research from different disciplines has explored the crime-space
relationship often with controversial results. By employing the "Space
Syntax" analysis, this research proposes to examine the relation between on
the one hand spatial layouts of housing estates and urban areas and on the
other hand spatial distribution of property offences, based on crime
reports provided by the police, to see how far a definite and consistent
relationship can be established. A major concern would be the issue of the
accessibility of housing layout ( spatial configuration of open spaces) and
the relative vulnerability of property crimes, such as burglary, criminal
damage (vandalism) and car crimes. Case-studies cover a wide range of
social classes, such as middle-high, middle-working and working class
housing estates, and were carefully examined for a period of two years. The
findings from this research provide empirical evidence for skepticism on
the concept of "territoriality" and "defensible space" put forward by Oscar
Newman, and suggest that, other things being equal, property crimes tend to
cluster in those globally or locally segregated areas, particularly in
those unconstituted enclosed clusters which Newman considered to be the key
to increase local surveillance and hence to exclude casual intrusion by
non-residents.



_______________________________________________________________________

Mark David Major

Course Director, MSc Built Environment: Advanced Architectural Studies
Associate, Space Syntax Laboratory

The Bartlett School of Graduate Studies
(Torrington Place Site)
University College London
Gower Street
London WC1E 6BT
United Kingdom

tel          +44 (0)171 504 5914
fax         +44 (0)171 813 4363
email     [log in to unmask]
www     http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/spacesyntax/people/major.html
or          http://www.spacesyntax.com




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