Typological Urbanism
Architecture versus Urbanism
The term Typological Urbanism refers to a design method situated at the overlap of architecture and urbanism. In our understanding, urbanism is neither the outcome of engineered masterplans—where form is determined and filled with program —nor the product of a loose collection of autonomous architectural objects. Instead, we believe in a strong interdependency between architecture and urbanism. We recognize a conceptual gap in practice between these two disciplines. Typological Urbanism allows us to respond with precision to the multiple dimensions of the urban condition—context, program, and existing fabric—without relying on idealistic projections. Instead, it operates through inherent rules: robust yet flexible enough to be reassembled in every moment. This assemblage relies in a fluent state, like the work of Imi Knoebel it can feel assembled and disassembled at the same time. This ambiguity and open-endedness enable appropriation and identification.
A Dual Approach
Typological Urbanism can be approached from two complementary directions:
From within: architectural typologies (such as housing) generate spatial organization and in turn shape urban form.
From without: predefined or emergent urban types constitute our built environment, including aspects such as public space, program, ownership, and accessibility.
This duality reflects the legacy of modernist thought—its search for rationality—and its postmodern revision, which reintroduced context, memory, and multiplicity into design. Synthesizing these principles enables us to resist both dogmatism and nostalgia.
Working Across Scales
This duality is not contradictory; on the contrary, it becomes our design method. To investigate it, we will work simultaneously on two scales: the individual unit and the urban figure. By studying how these two levels interact, we aim to reveal deeper spatial relationships. Our starting point will be specific housing typologies, through which we will analyse spatial logics and organizational principles. From there, we will scale outward—investigating how abstract volumes relate to one another within a larger spatial composition. The central question becomes: can the relationships and conditions identified at the architectural scale be translated into, or discovered within, the urban dimension?