Urban Form and Function

Abstract

Urban space is social space. According to Henri Lefebvre, every type of society produces a spatiality – physical space itself, a way of organising it and a way of thinking about it. In this sense, spatiality encompasses the physical world, mental world and social construction of space. The production of space occurs through both social practices and material conditions. This means that space and time are contingent upon and shaped by macro‐scale policies and technologies as well as by everyday practices. Structuring of space and time produce specific social patterns and relationships, but it also affects cultural values and economic prospects. Urban form, function and structure are key features in defining urban space as social.