Jazz, improvisation, and streetscapes : guidelines for in-fill development

Abstract

How can we design in-fill buildings that are frankly new and dynamic, yet respectful and engaging of the context of the streetscape? Improvisational jazz is a form of music whose practitioners seek to integrate the familiar and the novel into a unified composition. Certain practices guide performers in achieving these dynamic syntheses of new and old. These practices may provide fresh insights into achieving such a synthesis in the streetscape. This thesis examines the elements, composition, and practices of improvisational jazz for potential application to the compositions of streetscapes, specifically the design of in-fill buildings. It analyzes analogous elements, composition, and practices in the design of the building facades, tests these ideas in an analysis of two case studies, and makes recommendations for urban design.