Constructed Environment

How does Calvino describe his cities ?

Calvino describes the city by giving details of the architecture of the city. Four aluminum towers rise from its walls with seven gates on either side with spring operated drawbridges  that span the moat whose water fills four canals which cross the city.  The city is divided into nine quarters and each quarter has three hundred houses and seven hundred chimneys.

What is the role that monuments play ?

The role of the monuments is to show memory. It shows memory for instance if some person visits some place, he remembers the structure of the buildings, the architecture and it becomes a memory. Whenever he describes that city or hears the name, he is reminded of that structure and the architecture that he saw. Here the structure includes the four aluminum towers, the seven gates, the spring operated drawbridges, the moat, the four green canals, the nine quarters and the three hundred houses with seven hundred chimneys.

How does the urban interact with the natural?

The urban is being referred to the city with aluminum towers, seven gates, spring operated drawbridges, three hundred houses and seven hundred chimneys. The natural here means the moat  which is made by nature. The two interact as there is a drawbridge which covers the space overs the moat. This is how the urban, which is the drawbridge, interacts with the natural, the moat as it acts like a bridge over the moat.

How do we distinguish between nature and man made ?

Man made is something that has been made by man and does not exist naturally or is not made by nature.  Natural is something that has been created by nature and man has no control over its existence. The aluminum towers, seven gates, drawbridges. Three hundred houses and seven hundred chimneys are all man made.  Whereas the moat is made by nature.

Examining structures of the city

The structure of the city has been described by Calvino as : four aluminum towers rise from its walls with seven gates on either side with spring operated drawbridges that span the moat. The city is divided into nine quarters, each with three hundred houses and seven hundred chimneys.