Stockholm

Its Structure and Development

Bibliographic Data

ID4491206
AuthorsW William-Olsson (corresponding author)
Year1940
Volume30
Issue3
Pages420
Publication date1940-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGeographical Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0016-7428 • E-ISSN: 1931-0846
PublisherJSTOR (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.2307/210240
OpenAlexW2332227356
LanguageEN
Citations received10

Schliter was the first to urge a geographical study of the townscape.2 He spoke of the town as part of the landscape and drew up outlines that have since been followed by almost all German urban geographers. Their primary object has been as complete a description as possible of all the aspects of the townscape as such-topographical situation, geology, climate, vegetation, general plan, structural elevation, types of houses and roofs, etc. The work of most of the French geographers, headed by Blanchard,3 is similar; and the same may be said of English and American authors. They study the town from without. The external picture of the town, the townscape, is not what is essential, however. To explain my meaning, I will give an illustration. If we say that a town is beautiful (or ugly), we refer to its material aspect, to its appearance as determined by layout, buildings, and natural situation; the expression a wealthy or progressive (or poor or retrogressive) town refers to something different, its business or cultural life; and the expression a pleasant (or dull) town refers mainly to the inhabitants. These aspects of an urban organism plan, buildings, and topography; business and cultural life; and inhabitants-are intimately dependent on one another; but it is man and the manifestations of his life that are primary, not the buildings constructed by men for human requirements. The moment we regard the town as the implement of certain

Geography · Urbanization and City Planning

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub