Street space renaissance: A spatio-historical survey of two Asian cities

Abstract

The Western-influenced street design concepts have failed to address problems uniquely experienced within Asian streets. This results in unsound solutions and overshadows the need to conserve our unique heritage. To achieve a sustainability-oriented mobility culture requires the revival of the Asian street culture based on the premise that the present space utilization is a consequence of and reflects the underlying pedestrian culture of the past. The discussion centers on street space development in two Asian cities, namely: Edo period Tokyo, under seclusion policy, and Manila, a colonial city. The study draws on the historical survey of urban spaces, visual analysis of pictorial representa..