Abstract
This thesis undertakes an examination of the factors which influence
the life-span of the existing stock of urban buildings. It is divided into three major parts: a theoretical examination of the principal factors, a further investigation of some of the most critical
principal factors, and an empirical survey of the relationship between the critical factors and some of the existing stock in Edinburgh.
In Part One, a brief introduction to existing research in this field
is first described and a distinction drawn between prolonging the usefulness of the existing stock and intensifying its utilisation is made.
The principal factors are then described and categorised and the effects of change of the factors is examined.
Part Two examines more closely the social and economic factors which
influence the life-span of the existing stock, as well as examining
the fole of the building industry in adapting the stock to meet Chungking demands.
The Third Part of the thesis consists of two related empirical investigations into the changing relationship between the critical factors
and some of the existing stock in Edinburgh, as well as examining the
validity of a number of theories about urban growth and change in the
light of empirical data.
Finally, the thesis develops a few major lines for further investiga¬
tion, not only of interest to this particular undertaking, but also
to peripheral ventures as well.
