An Introduction to the Asian City

Abstract

A city is a product of its history, economic functions and cultural heritage. Specific factors of site, such as small scale topographic features, modify the form of the city. In Asia, cities have grown over several thousands of years in different cultural, physiographic, and economic settings and therefore, reflect diverse characteristics. Thus, it is not possible to state the characteristics of a single Asian city and make a generalization therefrom. Rather, there are several Asian city types that represent the Asian scene. Diversity is rooted in the Asian city, imparted not only by history, religion, language, and physical characteristics, but also by colonial development and post-colonial imprints. Despite such diversity, Asian cities have followed specific paths as explained in chapter 3 by Dutt, **e, Costa and Yang.