Elevated focal point system, the mayan late preclassic city contribution to urbanism

Abstract

It is important to know the contributions of the different eras of architecture and urbanism, especially when these involve a high level of scope or reach. As a result of several studies on pre-classical cities, the author has found and listed several elements in architecture that were used repeatedly to achieve a characteristic reading of the Mayan city, here called a system of high focal points. This urban feature is explained through the system of open spaces and its relation to archi­tecture and urban groups, that is, parts of the city and its logical relations. It is explained how the system might have functioned, and the basis on which it re­lied, as well as the consequences for the observer. The conclusions are subject to discussion because there are no publica­tions about higher focal points in relation to the Mayan cities. One of the conclu­sions is that such a system of high visual focal points existed and acted as one of the main urban scenographic supports.