Space Syntax: Mathematics and the Social Logic of Architecture

Abstract

Space syntax is the title given to a set of mathematical and computational theories and techniques for analyzing the social and cognitive characteristics of an architectural or urban plan. Several of the most famous of these techniques convert the spatial properties of a plan into a graph. Thereafter, graph theory is used to derive various measures, which are interpreted in the context of the original plan or against benchmark data for particular building types. This chapter presents an overview of the conceptual basis for space syntax and introduces three major analytical techniques: convex space analysis, axial line analysis, and intersection point analysis. Applications of these techniques are also described, along with a brief discussion of potential criticisms or limits. References cited in this chapter include the formulas and protocols needed to apply each of these techniques.

Exploring Urban Service Location Suitability: Mapping Social Behavior Dynamics with Space Syntax Theory

“…While some spatial analysis methods concentrate solely on the physical attributes of societies, space syntax has evolved Land 2024, 13, 609 2 of 15 into a comprehensive framework initially designed to explore the interplay between society and spatial configurations [19]. Moreover, the theory of space syntax provides specific metrics derived from empirical studies that correlate with human spatial behavior, making space syntax a valuable tool for predicting architectural and urban design impacts [20][21][22]. This contrasts with other spatial methodologies that often overlook social dimensions or confine their analyses to smaller scales.…”