Form-based zoning : what place is this code?

Form-based zoning is a relatively recent innovation in zoning reform. Many cities in the U.S. have adopted form-based codes in lieu of or as a supplement to conventional zoning and many more are in the process of studying and legislating this alternative. Form-based codes focus on the physical form of the built environment by prescribing parameters for physical form representing a specific intent for the public realm. Typically, form-based codes consist of regulating plan(s), urban standards (building envelope standards and streetscape/thoroughfare standards), and architectural standards. This thesis questions if the 'product' of form-based codes, i.e. the place imagined as a consequence of form-based codes, is differentiable based on place character. Place character refers to certain physical qualities based on location (loci) as well as certain perceptual qualities based on the life in these spaces (genius). This thesis hypothesizes that form-based could certainly result in quality urban spaces but the essential character of these spaces could be singular and indistinguishable from place to place. In order to examine this proposition, this thesis follows the terrain of a representative sample of form-based codes, which are studied as a proxy for the places that are intended as a consequence of implementation.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Mehta, Shilpa, M.C.P. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• John P. de Monchaux.

• Urban Studies and Planning.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/37865

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/37865