A Comparative Study of the Supergrid and Superblock Structure ...

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Abstract

Many contemporary Chinese and Japanese cities display a “supergrid and superblock” urban structure. This article investigates these structures from morphological perspectives using a group of theories that stress an integrated and connected network of streets as the prerequisite for a convenient and synergetic environment. The grid-and-block structure consists of a network of wide roads at a city scale (“supergrid”), which defines a series of cells (“superblocks”), each with a network of narrower streets. The study examines this structure by exploring the interrelationship between form and function with a specific focus on the road/street network and distribution of human activities. This study investigates and compares two superblocks, one each from Xi’an, China and Kyoto, Japan, as a case study to build a basic morphological understanding of the superblock structure in Chinese and Japanese urban system. The analytical methods are based on three kinds of morphological maps created from fieldwork data, including ones generated by space syntax. The findings reveal some interesting structural advantages and disadvantages in the Chinese superblocks linked to the extensive cultural practice of building walls around compounds as well as crucial qualities and issues in the structures of the Japanese superblocks.