By following the "Cathedral Cluster," the "Canal Cascade," and the "Firebreak Grid," you will not only survive the Corsairs and the earthquakes—you will build a city that history (and your trade partners) will admire for a thousand years.
This popular Occidental layout uses a central Marketplace surrounded by concentric rings of houses. anno 1404 venice city layout
After placing a Venetian Warehouse and expanding the area with Granaries, you can place a Venetian Marketplace near the coast. Its influence radius extends into the sea, allowing you to place "dummy" placeholders that eventually become real houses. By following the "Cathedral Cluster," the "Canal Cascade,"