Evolution : Rural to Urban Evolution of settlements

EVOLUTION OF SETTLEMENTS Development:

Evolution of Settlements - Historically Primitive Human settlements around 13,000 – 10,000 BCE as man advanced from hunting-gathering to farming (Agriculture) Prime objective of settlement is safety and prosperity as well as vicinity to permanent natural resources “A city should be built to give its inhabitants security and happiness” – Aristotle

Evolution of Settlements - Historically Initial settlements of circular huts in unorganized patterns With the establishment of settlement came leadership and different status equations For example, Skara Brae, Scotland – primitive unorganized human settlement

ANCIENT ORGANIZED SETTLEMENTS OF WORLD RANGING FROM 10,000 TO 5 LAC POPULATION

DIFFERENT ANCIENT SETTLEMENT FORMS: City of Ur; Mesopotamia – CIRCULAR FORTIFIED Mohenjo Daro, Indus Valley – GRID IRON

Meso America: AXIAL FORM Athens: TOPOGRAPHICAL FORM

Evolution of Settlements - Historically These settlements are primarily agrarian and aimed for safety. Mostly fortified, with moats and guard towers Agricultural areas outside the fortification Equipped with basic source of water supply, food storage – granaries, public health and hygiene places – baths, gyms as well as military and administrative places. Religion and socio-political force as well as common source of livelihood and race were binding elements of those settlements Inter-settlement cultural, trade and political connections

EXAMPLE : MILETUS

Miletus Hippodamus of Miletus lived through the Classical era Greece during the fifth century BCE. As an architect and city planning he developed an urban plan based on streets intersecting at right angles, known as the Hippodamian Plan – Gridiron Plan. The Hippodamian plan is based on a grid of right angles and the allocation of public and private space. The center of the city is the home of the city’s most important civic public spaces, including the agora, theatres, and temples. Private rooms surround the city’s public arenas. Since the Hippodamian plan is based on angles and measurements, it can be laid out uniformly over any kind of terrain. Hippodamus arranged the buildings and the streets of Miletus around 450 BC such that the winds from the mountains and the sea close to Miletus could flow optimal through the city and provide a cooling during the hot summer. In De architectura libri decem Vitruvius also mentions that in planning we have to consider the influence of the winds.

The art of Town Planning An art of shaping and guiding the physical growth of the town creating buildings and environments to meet the various needs such as social, cultural, economic and recreational etc. and to provide healthy conditions for both rich and poor to live, to work, and to play or relax.