The dialectics of functional and historical morphology in the evolution of a city: the case of the Stone Town of Zanzibar

A study of the Stone Town of Zanzibar reveals that its axial street structure has remained a consistent force shaping urban functions despite significant historical and socio-political changes. The research found that the town's syntactic centrality, analyzed through Space Syntax techniques, evolved in distinct phases but maintained a diffused pattern influencing current land use, ownership, building classifications, and streetscape elements. This dialectical relationship between history and function offers an enriched methodology for understanding urban morphological processes, bridging historical specificity with generic spatial analysis. The findings contribute to both urban theory and historical research by emphasizing the interplay between design and power politics in traditional cities.

Rashid, M., & Shateh, H. (2012). The dialectics of functional and historical morphology in the evolution of a city: the case of the Stone Town of Zanzibar. The Journal of Architecture, 17(6), 889–924. https://doi.org/10.1080/13602365.2012.746009