This module aims to provide an inclusive Asian urbanism framework to the understanding of urban design and environmental form from the syncretic urban morphology perspective. It is useful not only for the explanation of historical roots and representation of urbanism and heritage of the contemporary, but also for meaningful spatial interventions in the future.

This module introduces combined modes of urbanism and city design enquiries based on theoretical structure of knowledge (2012, Chiu). Syncretic Urban Morphology (SUM) framed in hybrid tangible-intangible rationality of layered histories, transformations and developmental aspects of the meanings of urban form will be focused.
SUM process aims to combine cultural theories in cities, urban planning theories, urban form and hitory, environmental studies, architecture theory, urban geography, urban sociology, spatial system design, architectural anthropology, ethnology, and archaeology interdiscipinarily. Such an approach is necessary to decode embedded and subjugated morphological elements of urbanism and urban form history and hence better understood the structure of knowledge of any city.

Module objectives include the followings:

1. Students will learn to deepen thoughts involving inclusive Asian city origin(s) and analytical epistemology;
2. Students will learn to articulate Urban Morphology and stay connected a hybrid pedagogy that apply in the local context connected with worldly urban form history;
3. Students will learn to formulate their own syncretic morphological framework for conducting independent studies. This may also include architectural and urban form history, environmentally sustainable urban form and ancient urbanism.

This module aims to provide an integral Asian urbanism framework to the understanding of urban design and environmental form from the syncretic urban morphology perspective. It is useful not only for the explanation of historical roots and representation of urbanism and heritage of the contemporary, but also for meaningful spatial interventions in the future.

This module introduces combined modes of urbanism and city design enquiries based on theoretical structure of knowledge (2012, Chiu). Syncretic Urban Morphology (SUM) framed in hybrid tangible-intangible rationality of layered histories, transformations and developmental aspects of the meanings of urban form will be focused.
SUM process aims to combine cultural theories in cities, urban planning theories, urban form and hitory, environmental studies, architecture theory, urban geography, urban sociology, spatial system design, architectural anthropology, ethnology, and archaeology interdiscipinarily. Such an approach is necessary to decode embedded and subjugated morphological elements of urbanism and urban form history and hence better understand the structure of knowledge of any city.

Module objectives include the followings:

1. Students will learn to deep thoughts involving inclusive Asian city origin(s) and analytical epistemology;
2. Students will learn to articulate Urban Morphology and stay connected a hybrid pedagogy that applies in the local context connected with worldly urban form history;
3. Students will learn to formulate their own syncretic morphological framework for conducting independent studies. This may also include architectural and urban form history, environmentally sustainable urban form and ancient urbanism.

AlSayyad, N. (ed.) (2001) Hybrid Urbanism: On the Identity Discourse and the Built
Environment. USA: Praeger Publishers.
Barrie, T. (2010) The Sacred In-Between – The Mediating Roles of Architecture.
New York: Routledge.
Barthes, R. (1973) Semiology and Urbanism, in VIA, No.2, pp.155-7.
Bhabha, H. K. [1994] (2004) The Location of Culture. (New edition) London & New York:
Routledge.
Chiu, K.W. (2012) An Intelligible Urban Form of Structural Syncretism: Physical
Transcendence and Cosmological Motif in Spatial Datum of Northeast Taiwan. Doctoral
dissertation, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Cohen, A.P. [1985] (2001) The Symbolic Construction of Community. London & New York:
Routledge.
Cohen, A.P. and Fukui, K. (eds.) (1993) Humanising the City: Social Contexts of Urban Life
at the Turn of the Millennium. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Feld, S. & Basso, K. (1996) Senses of Place. Santa Fe, New Mexico: School of American
Research Press.
Kostof, S. [1985] (1995) A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals. (2nd edition)
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
_________ [1991] (1999) The City Shaped: Urban Patterns and Meanings Through History. (2nd
edition) New York: Thames & Hudson.
_________ [1992) (2005) The City Assembled: Elements of Urban Form through History. (2nd
printing) New York: Thames & Hudson.
Lilley, K. D. (2009) CITY AND COSMOS – The Medieval World in Urban Form. London: Reaktion
Books Ltd.
Low, S. M. (1996) ‘The Anthropology of Cities: Imagining and Theorizing the City’. Annual
Review of Anthropology, Vol.25, pp.383-409.
________ (1999) Theorizing the City: The New Urban Anthropology Reader. New Brunswick:
Rutgers University Press.
Low, S.M. and Lawrence-Zuniga, D. (eds.) (2003) The anthropology of space and place:
locating culture. MA: Blackwell Publishing.
Marcus, J., et. al. (eds.) (2008) The Ancient City – New Perspectives on

AlSayyad, N. (ed.) (2001) Hybrid Urbanism: On the Identity Discourse and the Built
Environment. USA: Praeger Publishers.
Barrie, T. (2010) The Sacred In-Between – The Mediating Roles of Architecture.
New York: Routledge.
Barthes, R. (1973) Semiology and Urbanism, in VIA, No.2, pp.155-7.
Bhabha, H. K. [1994] (2004) The Location of Culture. (New edition) London & New York:
Routledge.
Chiu, K.W. (2012) An Intelligible Urban Form of Structural Syncretism: Physical
Transcendence and Cosmological Motif in Spatial Datum of Northeast Taiwan. Doctoral
dissertation, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Cohen, A.P. [1985] (2001) The Symbolic Construction of Community. London & New York:
Routledge.
Cohen, A.P. and Fukui, K. (eds.) (1993) Humanising the City: Social Contexts of Urban Life
at the Turn of the Millennium. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Feld, S. & Basso, K. (1996) Senses of Place. Santa Fe, New Mexico: School of American
Research Press.
Kostof, S. [1985] (1995) A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals. (2nd edition)
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
_________ [1991] (1999) The City Shaped: Urban Patterns and Meanings Through History. (2nd
edition) New York: Thames & Hudson.
_________ [1992) (2005) The City Assembled: Elements of Urban Form through History. (2nd
printing) New York: Thames & Hudson.
Lilley, K. D. (2009) CITY AND COSMOS – The Medieval World in Urban Form. London: Reaktion
Books Ltd.
Low, S. M. (1996) ‘The Anthropology of Cities: Imagining and Theorizing the City’. Annual
Review of Anthropology, Vol.25, pp.383-409.
________ (1999) Theorizing the City: The New Urban Anthropology Reader. New Brunswick:
Rutgers University Press.
Low, S.M. and Lawrence-Zuniga, D. (eds.) (2003) The anthropology of space and place:
locating culture. MA: Blackwell Publishing.
Marcus, J., et. al. (eds.) (2008) The Ancient City – New Perspectives on