Resumen de Dealing with incremental change: An application of urban morphology to design control
In a recent book, the author has argued that policy statements for design control are inadequate, especially in Britain. He proposed a new approach based on the production of design objectives for small areas through the new device of the design area. It was suggested that this would avoid the limitations of the land-use map and be able to deal with different degrees of controller intervention. This article draws attention to the significance of the incremental nature of urban and regional change and the systems attempting to control it. Drawing upon urban morphology, it describes the theoretical issues which underlie the proposals but which were not covered in the book. They are based largely on the work of Conzen and the synthesis of his ideas with those of Caniggia proposed by Kropf. They can be useful in distinguishing thresholds in the process of incremental change that can be identified with different modes and levels of intervention. An example from the Dacorum BC Residential Character Study is discussed. Pointers to further research are appended.
