Building morphometric analysis as a tool for urban renewal: Identifying post-Second World War mass public housing development potential

Abstract

The focus of this study is on the ability of morphometrics and building pattern recognition to improve top-down urban renewal processes by identifying post-Second World War mass housing suitable for urban renewal. We used two conceptual frameworks: the first from the field of urban design and architecture and the second from the field of multi-parametric analysis and geographic information system. A survey of a sample of typical post-Second World War mass housing units based on historical blueprints was developed to identify geometric indicators. The geometric indicators were transformed into a geographic information system parametric model for the identification of post-Second World War mass housing units and sites in current urban plans on a city scale. The model was implemented in the city of Haifa, Israel, as a case study. The analysis results indicate 1288 buildings in 283 urban sites suitable for urban renewal, 10% of the present city’s housing stock.