Spacematrix explores the potential of urban density as a tool for urban planning and design. The authors' fascination with density is not primarily normative, making no claim to know which density is best, but is driven by the desire to understand the relational logic between density, urban form and performance. This is a prerequisite for understanding and successfully predicting the effects of specifi c designs and planning proposals. The focus of attention is the relationship between types of urban environment and data such as amount, size, physical properties and economic values. Berghauser Pont and Haupt demystify the use of image-based references and concepts such as 'urbanity' by challenging the reliability of such concepts and critically examining the possibility of redefi ning them through the concept of density. Equipped with a structural understanding of the nature of urban density, the skills needed by architects and urbanists in their daily tradeoffs between quantitative requirements, physical constraints and qualitative preferences are then expanded upon. This should also empower such professionals in their collaboration and confrontation with economists, engineers and politicians. Spacematrix is of interest to architects as well as urban planners and designers, but is equally relevant for other profes sionals working in the field of urbanism, such as developers, economists, engineers and policymakers. Since 2004 the database of samples used in this book has been accessible on the Internet (www.spacecalculator.nl), a resource used by design firms (both architects and urbanists), consultants and municipalities.
The book will also be used by the Bachelor's, Master's and other post-graduate programmes within the Faculty of Architecture at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft).
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