CHANGES IN URBAN FORM: APPROACHES FOR ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS IN THE TEMPLE CITY OF THANJAVUR, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

This paper attempts to explore changes in urban form through quantitative assessment. The authors identified measurable indicators of change for four aspects of urban form - urban expansion, spatial distribution of population density, uniformity in population distribution, and land utilization for buildings - based on a literature review. The indicators were then examined through a case study of the temple city of Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. The findings suggest the temple city has undergone significant changes in urban form, and the changes are more evident around the temple core and along the traditional streets. The indicators presented in this paper could be useful in future studies involving analysis of change in urban form, particularly in the case of Indian temple cities.