AGRAPH;

Complementary Software for

Space Syntax Axial-Line Analyses

Paper 070 at SSS7

KTH, Stockholm , June 2009

Bendik Manum, M.Arch, M.Sc., Ph.D

Faculty of Architecture and Fine Art
Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Software Programming:
Espen Rusten

Why more space syntax software?

-The possibility of doing all operations
(modelling/ drawing, editing, calculation
and making images suited for
presentation) within one program, without external (and expensive)
software.
-When attempting to abstract a real urban
space into a space syntax model you very
soon look for other modelling/drawing
options than the very basic axial-line
model. Therefore, numerous software has
been developed. Software that all
together handle most of the options one
might request, - but not yet in one single
program. (Depthmap, S3,
PLACESYNTAX, AJAX,Mindwalk ++)

Short on previous version of AGRAPH

(presented at 5th Space Syntax Symposium)
A space syntax tool for drawing and calculating
node and connection models
Main features:
Easy to use interface, particularly aiming at
drawing/modelling, calculating and making printable
images within one software

 Drawing nodes and connections

 Colouring the nodes (here according to function)

 Justifying the graph by click-and-drag (and snap to grid)

 Saving the justified graph as printable image

(of .jpg format)

 exporting table of space-syntax parameters

 Colouring nodes (vertexes) by space syntax parameters,

(here: by integration, - as RA)

 Coloured by depth from root-node (here : upper right corner)

- or by Control Value

The new version,

AGRAPH with line-mode,
- Software for axial-line analyses

The new version,

AGRAPH with line-mode,
- Software for axial-line analyses
Main features:
Drawing/editing axial-maps, doing space-syntax calculations and making
printable images within one software (similar to previous version, -nodemode)
Options for easy modelling of real-life situations not easily captured by
basic (or automatically generated) axial-line models

connect / disconnect (at a particular intersection)

disconnect all intersections of a particular lineelement (an reconnect to selected lines only)

merge lines (manual merging of several lines into one

space-syntax-element)

barrier lines ( to model barrier-like traffic, when a street is a border

or barrier rather that a connecting space )

(options useful for modelling situations such as bridges/tunnels, curved or

slightly bended roads, barrier-like-traffic and layer-like spatial structures)

 Open AGRAPH,
Select Line mode

Select background image

(usually a map)

Select image file

If necessary: rotate map

zoom

set line colour

(if black does not work well with colours of map/ background image)

Turn on draw lines (by click button)

Draw line (by two mouse-clicks per line, not three or four)

disconnect (unlink)

show unlinks (on/off)

colour by integration
(integration as RA, no normalisation RRA, i=1/RRA)

merge lines,
- for modelling curved or slightly bended roads

merge lines, Click at connection and then click merge

show merged lines

(on/off)

Here, five lines merged (at four intersections)

merged lines becomes one space-syntax-element,

- one element with no internal space syntax distance

integration,
- with five lines merged

- with lines not merged

disconnect / connect
merge / unmerge

tunnels or bridges
(or stairs/elevators between floor-plans)

to draw a bridge or tunnel element:

select the line
then disconnect at all links

The line is now totally disconnected and must be manually

connected at selected intersections

Here: connections made to ring road

Integration with bridge/tunnel connected to ring-road

What happens if merging tunnel-line with ring-road-element ?

(describing a motorway-system without traffic jam ?)

Integration when tunnel-line is merged with ring-road

The option barrier - line

Select line (by click at line), then click properties

select property barrier = true

The barrier-line is now disconnected from other lines at all

intersections, and the crossing lines are cut in two

The barrier-line must then be manually connected at selected

intersections
(if not done, the system will contain disconnected line)

barrier-line

Integration of axial-map with one barrier-line

Here do calculation after moving the barrier-line

(breaking points of crossing lines follow as a barrier-line is

moved)

A merged-line can be a barrier - line

For download and information, see:

http://www.ntnu.no/ab/spacesyntax

or email:
bendik.manum@ntnu.no