The study of urban form in France

Abstract

This paper reviews urban morphological research in France, mainly since the early 1970s within schools of architecture. Changes in the nature of the studies undertaken are discussed in relation to a number of contextual developments and earlier types of study: first, two historiographical traditions, namely the history of town planning and the topographical histories of individual cities; secondly, studies carried out in the first half of the century; and thirdly, research since the 1960s in disciplines other than architecture.