ABSTRACT
A centre is a special location in space understood as a point equidistant from all edges of a perceived boundary. The idea of centre starts with our body and the extension of our senses outwards into the world around us. In urban design, centre is a spatial ordering principle that operates at multiple scales and can be found in conjunction with other ordering principles. The basic application of centre is through the introduction of a focal point into an urban development pattern. Centre is also a social idea related to population densities—it is an area where the most activity takes place, as well as a point of engagement, activation, and density. As a social concept, centre is characterised by two elements: threshold and range. Threshold is the minimum critical mass of population or density required to generate a sense of attraction and gathering around a centre.
