20.27
Common city component-City Structure
  
  A structure is any fixed construct of human technology which serves a purpose.
Large structures include skyscraper buildings, bridges, communication towers and factories.
Medium structures include apartment complexes, homes and bus shelters.
Small structures include pipes, telegraph poles, electric wires and phone boxes.
  
20.27.1 Key city structures  
  There are a number of types of significant buildings that a city might contain:
  
  •Religious & absolute power
•Civic & regal power
•Military/Police power
•Legal power
•Financial & admin power
•Knowledge & technology		  
20.27.2 Structures symbolizing religious and absolute power  
  The very earliest models to the most sophisticated models of city's used today consider the central building, symbolizing the geometric heart, the seat of power as the most important building of the city.
 
  For the building itself existed to represent the supreme power- from which all things come and all things can be taken away- the hall of the gods, or the hall of the supreme god, it was their shrine, their home and their seat on Earth.
 
  In the 1st Sumerian model, it was the ziggurat, that represented first and foremost the former seats of power of the Gods over the humans. It was where they resided and controlled the destiny and running of the city.
 
  When vacant, it was where offerings were made to the gods in return for their continued favour in allowing the city to continue to prosper and avoid enemies. Later as the belief in the physical presence of the almighty beings of various cultures became less commonly believed, it became the physical seat of power for many heads of religions.
 
20.27.3 Structures symbolizing civic and regal power  
  The second most significant buildings standard to all cities from the beginning of time until now is the existence of a building signifying the instruments of power of the civic leader or regal leader of the city (normally also State).
 
  It is this building that has typically clashed with the position of the first (central building symbolizing supreme religious power).
 
  To powerful dynasties, military and civic leaders, it is the buildings symbolizing civic and regal power that play central position in their design and development of their city.
 
  This is certainly the case with the layout and planning of Late Rome, Washington D.C. and Canberra, Australia. However, it is the central religious buildings of Istanbul, Cairo, London, Paris that take pride of geometric place in the design of these cities, indicating subscription to the earliest of models.
 
20.27.4 Structures symbolizing military/police power  
  The third set of buildings of significance of all cities has been that of military and police power. The power of the state, while imposing in terms of the edifaces of religion and State, still have always required the sharpened point of arms to enforce the question.
 
  All cities from the time of the Sumerians to now have had central buildings housing the military, police and specialised security forces of the State. In many instances, these forces have been called upon to defend the instruments of power.
 
  Often they have been used and abused by the leaders of a State against their general population of the city and sometimes they have helped defend a city from invasion or capture.
 
20.27.5 Structures symbolizing legal/judicial power  
  The buildings symbolizing legal power have also played a fundamental role in the model cities of the most ancient to most modern societies.
 
  The Sumerians had legal system, including trials, lawyers, case law and evidence. So it has been the means of administrating the law of the Gods and then the human rulers of cities of mankind.
 
20.27.6 Structures symbolizing finance and administrative power  
  Buildings symbolizing the financial and administrative power of the city have often gone hand in hand with the buildings of civic or regal power, or even buildings of supreme religious power.
 
  However, the financial and administrative management of the earliest cities has always been seen as a separate component of the instruments of power of the State to be considered a vital component to all cities.
 
  The wealth of the State, in terms of its trade, produce and proper administration is linked to these buildings, whether it be The Treasury, The Administration.
 
20.27.7 Structures symbolizing knowledge and technology  
  Libraries of knowledge have featured as a part of society from category (1)( civilisations/societies of the Sumerians. The obtaining and storage of knowledge recognised as a key instrument of power was recognised as a supreme component of cities up until the Christian/Gnostic period of religious growth.
 
  During the dominant ages of Christianity, knowledge was relegated to a secondary or non existent symbol in many cities as the catherdral became the multi-function symbol of knowledge and power. However, with the age of enlightenment heralded by the re-building of London and Paris, Museums, Libraries and places of knowledge once again took their place as key structures of importance.
 
     
 
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