Rivers Before Roads: Southeast Asia's Water-Based Urbanism
A new article on ArchDaily argues that 20th-century architecture's road-centric view of cities is not universal. In Southeast Asia, rivers historically functioned as streets, markets, civic spaces, and public infrastructure. Transportation was primarily by boat, trade occurred along riverbanks, and architecture faced water rather than asphalt. Interpreting cities through their waterways offers an alternative understanding of urbanism, challenging the dominance of road hierarchies in urban planning.
Key facts
- 20th-century architecture interpreted cities through roads.
- Road hierarchies define urban plans and intersections organize movement.
- Buildings are understood by facades facing sidewalks.
- Roads are often mistaken as a universal condition for urban life.
- In much of Southeast Asia, cities developed under a completely different spatial logic.
- Rivers functioned as streets, markets, civic spaces, and public infrastructure before cars.
- Transportation was mainly by boat, trade along riverbanks, and architecture faced water.
- Interpreting cities through waterways transforms understanding of architecture.
Entities
Institutions
- ArchDaily
Locations
- Southeast Asia