The Three - Dimensional Extension of Space Syntax 048

The purpose of this study is to develop a new space syntax technique by adding third dimension in analysis of urban structure that is important to understand the formation of the cities. The theoretical framework of the study is put forward by integrating space syntax with the theory of the image of city. This entails the essential elucidation of spatial cognition pattern and image and the integration of space syntax and the image of city. The paper analyzes and demonstrates the prerequisite and feasibility of the mutual complementarily between space syntax and the image of city. The threedimensional space syntax integrated with the image of city is different from the traditional syntax that is only limited to non-figurative two-dimensional spatial cognition. It also emphasizes the important influences of the three-dimensional image points on people's behaviour in space and it is quite close to the accurate description of “natural movement”. Based on the three-dimensional theory, a concept model of the threedimensional syntax is constructed, and its content includes how to describe forming process of the three-dimensional spatial image pots during the cognition activity, how to construct the objective evaluation model for the three-dimensional image pots and how to put forward the concept of weighted-integration to calculate the concept mathematical model. In the end, the paper carries through three experimental analyses. The paper argues that the extended three-dimensional syntactical model is much closer to people's spatial illation and cognition. It should be more accurate to use the model to describe and grasp the urban configuration.