ABSTRACT
Compositional structuring assembles elements and principles into meaningful form. Based on thecomplexities of the environment, manipulating form to respond to complex situations is also an integral part of design. Seldom can the primary shapes, volumes, and compositional structures be used in their pure state in urban design due to the complexity of the existing urban form, as well as the demands of the culture/space/time (CST) trialectic (Soja, 1996). There are conditions where the cube as house can be set in the landscape or the grid community can be set in a Greenfield due to a lack of significant constraints. In most urban or community situations, that physical simplicity or clarity is not possible. For urban designers, the compositional structures et al. require playful modification, imagination, hybridization, and manipulation to “fit” into and respond to existing and emerging context, maintaining the intended meaning and functionality of the “story” in a wholesome manner. Transformation principles are key design tools for this urban complexity and are discussed and envisioned in this chapter. They build upon conventional transformational actions used in the professional design fields.
