Typo-morphological assessment of Ludlow and Famagusta Old Town

Abstract

In the field of urban morphology, different scholars have developed different approaches. The pioneering approaches are the procedural-typological approach of G. Caniggia and G.L. Maffei and the historico-evolutionary approach of M.R.G. Conzen, which are the focus of this paper. However, it is also worth mentioning J.W.R. Whitehand (1981), who integrated the analysis of changes to the built fabric with the study of the individuals and organizations involved in the various aspects of property development, users, planners, and architects. As well, Kropf (2009) named four distinct approaches – spatial analytical, configurational, process typological, and historico-geographical – for the purpose of determining more explicitly which aspects are included in the different approaches to urban morphology. Based on the theoretical approaches of the above-mentioned scholars, in the scope of this article, the architectural and planning dimensions of urban morphology will be discussed for Ludlow and Famagusta, which carry similar morphological characteristics on the planning level and different typological characteristics on the architectural level. Ludlow is a small market town in the south of Shropshire, England; it is a few miles east of the Welsh border. Famagusta, with its Old Town, is a small market town in the eastern part of Cyprus. This article explores urban morphology based on the two pioneering morphological approaches, and then it sets up a typo-morphological basis for Ludlow and Famagusta through an integrated approach. The belief is that such an integrated approach will drive future interventions, design, and planning policies towards their conservation.