PATTERN METHOD IN URBAN STUDIES AND PRACTICES

Introduction: The paper addresses an issue of describing templating in the urban environment. It also declares an approach to studying and designing urban space using patterns — spatial prototypes of the area. The purpose of the study is to provide insight into the pattern method applied in urban studies and practices. Methods: Using the theory of C. Alexander, the authors model the concept of pattern in urban planning, describe the process of urban environment development based on spatial “templates” of its formation. Results: City development is based on localization of design models for area planning or natural landscape-shaping mechanisms. Such design models and natural mechanisms are called patterns. Patterns are imprinted in the city fabric as locally coherent urban-planning formations — elementary urban units. Properties of patterns (integrity, limitation and repeatability) are listed. Principles of their use in studying urban-planning structures, preserving the genetic code of local areas, and modeling new spatial forms using urban-planning strategies and regulations are described.