By their very nature, the concepts of islands and archipelagos in architecture exist within the ambiguous realm of metaphor, intertwined with myth and literary imagination. This research aims to interpret them by studying the forms, spatialities and compositional paradigms that define Stadtinsel and Stadtarchipel in the theory and practice of the German architect Oswald Mathias Ungers. The first part of the thesis, 'A Theory of the Urban Island', provides a theoretical basis for the urban island by reconnecting fragmented histories and definitions. It traces the evolution of insularity in Ungers's early theoretical writings and projects. The concept of Großform (large-scale urban form) is critically examined through the lens of Ungers' treatise Grossformen im Wohnungsbau, which locates the idea of autonomous, formally intense architecture as being key to urban order. The study emphasises that scale alone does not define these urban enclaves. Rather, it is a matter of spatial complexity and formal autonomy. The second part of the thesis focuses on Ungers' evolving conception of space, tracing its genealogy and identifying the key spatial principles that inform his design process. Central to this is the duality of Raum und Körper (space and body), which is explored through the dialectic of negative–positive form relationships. Meanwhile, Ungers' abstraction of physical space into Gedankliche Räume (mental spaces) marks a shift towards a more conceptualised understanding of space. The study reimagines the archipelago city through the lens of Raumentwurfslehre (spatial design theory), proposing that external spaces can influence urban form. The result is an understanding of the archipelago city as a Raumkonstellation (spatial constellation), where spatial structure is derived from contrast, isolation and morphological dialogue rather than continuity. The second part of the thesis, 'An Anatomy of the Urban Island', shifts from theory to design analysis, examining the compositional and spatial strategies of urban islands. It examines how the city-archipelago model alters the construction of urban form and the spaces, and categorises selected case studies based on the compositional techniques unique to urban islands. Together, these projects demonstrate how theoretical positions can be transformed into design strategies, reinforcing the urban island as a conceptual and formal response to urban fragmentation, memory and identity. By offering a comprehensive anatomy of the archipelago city — spanning scales, typologies, and spatial logics — the thesis ultimately posits the urban island not as a retreat from complexity, but as a generative model for engaging with the heterogeneity and discontinuity of the contemporary metropolis.
Per propria natura, le idee di Isola e Arcipelago in architettura vivono nell’ambiguità della metafora, tra le pieghe del mito e dell’immaginazione letteraria. Questa ricerca intende offrire una loro lettura attraverso lo studio delle forme, delle spazialità e dei paradigmi compositivi che definiscono i concetti di Stadtinsel e Stadtarchipel nella teoria e nella prassi dell’architetto tedesco Oswald Mathias Ungers. La prima parte della tesi, intitolata “A Theory of the Urban Island", definisce una base teorica dell’idea di isola urbana, ricollegando storie e definizioni frammentarie. In essa si ripercorre l'evoluzione dell'insularità nei primi scritti teorici e nei progetti di Ungers. Il concetto di Großform viene esaminato criticamente attraverso il phamplet Grossformen im Wohnungsbau, che individua nell'idea di un'architettura autonoma e formalmente intensa la chiave dell'ordine urbano. Lo studio sottolinea che la scala da sola non definisce queste enclavi urbane, si tratta piuttosto di una questione di complessità spaziale e di autonomia formale. La seconda parte della tesi si concentra sull'evoluzione della concezione dello spazio di Ungers, ne traccia la genealogia e individua i principi spaziali chiave che informano il suo processo progettuale. Al centro di tutto ciò vi è la dualità di Raum und Körper (spazio e corpo), che viene esplorata attraverso la dialettica delle relazioni formali negative-positive. Nel frattempo, l'astrazione dello spazio fisico in Gedankliche Räume (spazi mentali) da parte di Ungers segna un passaggio verso una concezione più concettuale dello spazio. Attraverso la Raumentwurfslehre (teoria del progetto dello spazio), lo studio reimmagina la città arcipelagica, proponendo che gli spazi esterni possano influenzare la forma urbana. Il risultato è una comprensione della città arcipelagica come costellazione spaziale, in cui la struttura spaziale deriva dal contrasto, dall'isolamento e dal dialogo morfologico piuttosto che dalla continuità di forma e di spazi. La seconda parte della tesi, "An Anatomy of the Urban Island" passa dalla teoria all'analisi progettuale, esaminando le strategie compositive e spaziali delle isole urbane. Esamina in che modo il modello della città-arcipelago influenzi la costruzione della forma urbana e degli spazi e classifica una selezione di casi studio in base alle tecniche compositive specifiche delle isole urbane. Insieme, questi progetti dimostrano come le posizioni teoriche possano essere trasformate in strategie progettuali, rafforzando l'isola urbana come risposta concettuale e formale alla frammentazione urbana, alla memoria e all'identità. Offrendo un’interpretazione della città arcipelago, che abbraccia scale, tipologie e logiche spaziali, la tesi intende porre l'isola urbana non come un rifugio dalla complessità, ma come un modello generativo per interagire con l'eterogeneità e la discontinuità della metropoli contemporanea.
An anatomy of the urban island. Inquiry into Oswald Mathias Ungers' ideas of island and archipelago
Carofiglio, Nicola
2025
Abstract
By their very nature, the concepts of islands and archipelagos in architecture exist within the ambiguous realm of metaphor, intertwined with myth and literary imagination. This research aims to interpret them by studying the forms, spatialities and compositional paradigms that define Stadtinsel and Stadtarchipel in the theory and practice of the German architect Oswald Mathias Ungers. The first part of the thesis, 'A Theory of the Urban Island', provides a theoretical basis for the urban island by reconnecting fragmented histories and definitions. It traces the evolution of insularity in Ungers's early theoretical writings and projects. The concept of Großform (large-scale urban form) is critically examined through the lens of Ungers' treatise Grossformen im Wohnungsbau, which locates the idea of autonomous, formally intense architecture as being key to urban order. The study emphasises that scale alone does not define these urban enclaves. Rather, it is a matter of spatial complexity and formal autonomy. The second part of the thesis focuses on Ungers' evolving conception of space, tracing its genealogy and identifying the key spatial principles that inform his design process. Central to this is the duality of Raum und Körper (space and body), which is explored through the dialectic of negative–positive form relationships. Meanwhile, Ungers' abstraction of physical space into Gedankliche Räume (mental spaces) marks a shift towards a more conceptualised understanding of space. The study reimagines the archipelago city through the lens of Raumentwurfslehre (spatial design theory), proposing that external spaces can influence urban form. The result is an understanding of the archipelago city as a Raumkonstellation (spatial constellation), where spatial structure is derived from contrast, isolation and morphological dialogue rather than continuity. The second part of the thesis, 'An Anatomy of the Urban Island', shifts from theory to design analysis, examining the compositional and spatial strategies of urban islands. It examines how the city-archipelago model alters the construction of urban form and the spaces, and categorises selected case studies based on the compositional techniques unique to urban islands. Together, these projects demonstrate how theoretical positions can be transformed into design strategies, reinforcing the urban island as a conceptual and formal response to urban fragmentation, memory and identity. By offering a comprehensive anatomy of the archipelago city — spanning scales, typologies, and spatial logics — the thesis ultimately posits the urban island not as a retreat from complexity, but as a generative model for engaging with the heterogeneity and discontinuity of the contemporary metropolis.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14242/297451
URN:NBN:IT:POLIBA-297451