Includes bibliographical references / This urban design thesis is a study of the urban issues and design principles pertinent to Port Cities. 'Man meets water': Our primordial psyche Man has had a relationship with water since time immemorial. Moving freely from earth to water is an activity which comes naturally to the human being. According to Eastern philosophy, Earth is the most important element. It comprises matter in a solid state, represents stability, physicality and gravity. Water is the second most significant element and represents fluidity, flexibility and adaptability (Ninjutsu.co.uk). Man meets water, in other words, is the moving from one realm to the other. In urban design terms, where 'Man meets water' is the 'in between' space - the interface. This is the area where two worlds come together - an area of interaction, interconnectedness and interrelationship. The area of study is a precinct of Port Louis - the interface between land and sea, as shown in Figure 1.1. The original urban quality of Port Louis has become degraded as a result of post-independence modernisation. The interface has been reshaped spatially and functionally. The original city of Port Louis was founded on the harbour, which was central to social, commercial and residential life. Today, the harbour is segregated from the city fabric. This thesis aims to explore the nature and design principles of places and spaces that lie within this land-water interface in order to formulate an urban design proposal wherein the land is reconnected to the water - an urban intervention for a people-oriented port city.