Morphology Of Cities Research Articles

Urban Expansion and Changing Settlement Patterns of Hyderabad City After 1990s

This paper examines the urban expansion and evolving settlement patterns of Hyderabad city since the 1990s, a period marked by rapid growth and transformation in response to economic liberalization, population influx, and infrastructural developments. The study employs spatial analysis techniques, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to map changes in land use, density shifts, and the expansion of urban peripheries. Key factors such as migration, industrial growth, and policy shifts are analyzed to understand their role in reshaping the city's morphology. Findings reveal significant spatial reorganization, with traditional central areas experiencing densification and peripheral zones undergoing rapid development

Morphology of the Urban Phenomenon and Its Relation with Urban Livability

The livability of a city is a crucial aspect that greatly influences the well-being of its residents, and its relationship with the city's morphology is significant. This study aims to examine the correlation between block livability and block form. In the first step, the goal is to propose a quantitative model, the "Livable Block Index (LBI)," to measure the level of livability. The LBI considers the multi-functionality of urban zones as a key factor in measuring block livability, analyzing both the variety of uses within each lot and the distribution of uses across the block. Additionally, the study investigates the form of urban blocks, considering their area, shape, and proportions. The proposed model is applied to specific districts in Tehran, using Grasshopper for data modeling, visualization, and analysis. Initial findings reveal a meaningful relationship between block form and livability levels; however, it is apparent that a comprehensive understanding requires the consideration of additional parameters. Further research is necessary to develop a more comprehensive view of the correlations between urban block form and livability.

Effect of typo-morphological analysis and place understanding on the nature of intervention within historic settings: the case of Amman, Jordan

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of different levels of place understanding (primarily typo-morphological analysis) on the nature of interventions within historic urban setting and buildings within the City of Amman.Design/methodology/approachThe research methodology depended on an extensive thematic survey and analysis. The typo-morphological analysis addressed several of Amman's residential hills and their connections with the downtown area. The thematic place survey tool included different units of analysis (e.g. buildings, public spaces, streets and sloped lands between streets) and addressed the values of these various buildings and spaces, their typology, typo-morphology and relation to the urban context, nature of change and transformations over time to mention a few. The extensive survey also included semi-structured interviews about these buildings addressing their emergence, historic context and values.FindingsThe paper presents an architectural typology for Amman's architecture and its relationship with the city's morphology stressing the specificity of Amman's historic core and residential hills. The paper also discusses the effect of this level of place understanding on the nature and levels of interventions within historic settings and buildings.Research limitations/implicationsThis level of place understanding (typo-morphological analysis) can have a positive impact on the practice of architectural and urban conservation by informing the nature of interventions within historic urban setting and buildings within the city. More specifically, this level of place understanding can, first, inform the development of urban and heritage guidelines within conservation areas in one of Amman's residential neighborhoods (Weibdeh) and, second, inform the nature of interventions to existing historic buildings based on respect of building typology.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the disciplines of architectural and urban conservation illustrating how place understanding can inform practices of heritage conservation and future policies and strategies concerning new intervention within such heritage places.

Morphological Characteristics and Fear of Crime: A Case of Public Spaces in the Global North and South

The morphological characteristics of a city have a direct relationship with the human activities happening in the public spaces. If, however, the public spaces become unsafe, people may avoid them. On the other hand, safe public spaces allow free movement for everyone, which is the most basic human need and a crucial part of social sustainability. By focusing on the present-day realities that create the link between the implications for ownership and the provision of the public spaces, this research aims to understand the nature of the morphological characteristics of cities in the Global North and South and its impact on and association with fear of crime. Two case study streets in Stockholm, Sweden, and Karachi, Pakistan, are selected to establish a hypothesis. The study draws upon comprehensive data through a questionnaire survey and morphological analysis. The results suggest that the selected streets in the Global North and South show a similar morphological structure in terms of street layout, land use, plot patterns, and heights of the buildings but difference in pedestrian flows. In relation to the fear of crime, both streets show parks as risky places to visit at night. The results also show some differences in terms of people's responses to the fear of crime in relation to the city's morphology. For instance, people avoid vacant plots and petrol pumps in Karachi, while entrances to metro stations and hidden corners of buildings are considered risky places in Stockholm.

URBAN GROWTH AND THE SPATIAL STRUCTURE OF A CHANGING REGION: AN INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

The present study assesses changes (1949-2008) in the structure of a Mediterranean urban area (Rome, Italy) in three phases (compact growth, medium-density growth, low-density growth) of its recent expansion which reflect different economic contexts at the local scale. Using a quantitative approach based on land-use indicators and landscape metrics, distribution and fragmentation of built-up areas were analyzed from high-resolution and diachronic digital maps covering the investigated area (1,500 km2). The analysis of the (changing) urban structure during the study period allows for an indirect evaluation of planning impact on Rome's expansion. City's morphology changed rapidly due to urbanization. While in the first examined phase (1949-1974) metrics indicated compactness and densification trends, the fractal dimension of urban settlements increased in the subsequent period together with patch fragmentation, dispersion and shape complexity. The study identified the indicators better characterizing Rome's expansion as a contribution to the understanding of long-term urban dynamics in the Mediterranean region.

Spatial Patterns of China's Major Cities and Their Evolution Mechanisms during the Past Decades of Reform and Opening Up

This study focused on the patterns of urban sprawl in China's major cities since1978. Information about the major urban built-up areas in China was extracted from the remote sensing images from multiple sources, such as the QuickBird, SPOT and TM, using the soil-vegetation-adjusted building index (SVBI). The trend of urban sprawl was analyzed by measuring the rate of urban expansion and growth rate of urban area. Then qualitative methods were employed to classify the spatial patterns of these cities and discuss the transformation mechanisms of these patterns. The results show that the rates of expansion and area growth in China's major cities were stable between 1984 and 1994 and then sharply increased between 1994 and 2004, followed by a slow-down during 2004-2014. Natural setting was found to be the most essential and limiting factor in a city's morphology. The qualitative analysis suggests that the sprawl patterns of China's major cities were categorized into four groups: circular, leapfrog, interactive and belt-like patterns. Besides, traffic can guide the direction of urban sprawl. It was considered an important factor in urban sprawl and a determining factor in the transformation of urban morphology. Technological, socio-economic development was proved to have played a key role in the development of urban morphology and have acted as the greatest power for cities to withstand the impact of natural setting on their morphology. Moreover, city-industry integration and administrative divisions have also affected the development of spatial patterns of these cities. They have altered the internal links between different parts of a city and the driving forces behind urban development, facilitating formation of new spatial patterns. The findings about urban morphology and its transformation mechanisms can provide a scientific basis for cities to efficiently raise their management levels and formulate more rational plans for urban-space use.

Analysis of High‐Resolution Utility Data for Understanding Energy Use in Urban Systems: The Case of Los Angeles, California

SummaryUrban metabolism provides a framework to understand resource flows into cities and waste flows out. Its potential has been hampered by the lack of good disaggregated data. This article presents energy‐use findings for the residential sector for the city of Los Angeles based on census‐block–level aggregation of address‐level electricity use obtained from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. City or county billing data by customer class over time can enable empirical tracking of energy conservation and efficiency programs by different customer classes, and matched to census information and county tax assessor data about building vintage, size, and type can provide information important for rate setting, for example, or energy conservation and efficiency program investments. We report on median electricity demand and corresponding greenhouse gas emissions and expenditures at three geographical aggregations: city council district (15 in total); neighborhood (114 in total); and census block group (2,538 in total). We find that the ratio of median annual demand between highest‐ and lowest‐tier users is 26 at the census‐block group level, but only 2.2 at the city council district level, demonstrating that spatial aggregation significantly masks the degree of variation that may be observed. We also show how such data can enable the description of energy to develop energy disclosure thresholds that reflect a city's morphology. In contrast to New York City's 50,000‐square‐foot reporting threshold, to capture half of Los Angeles’ electricity consumption, the threshold for reporting would have to be 5,000 square feet.

UNIVERSALITY IN CITY MORPHOLOGY AND THE MORPHOLOGY OF A CITY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR CITY EVACUATION PLANS

Street networks play a crucial role in the emergence of vehicular traffic. Here we present an experimental analysis of the street networks of several European cities (London, Paris, Rome, Modena). This analysis evidences the existence of universal properties in the morphology of different cities, which is captured by a model for the dynamics of city growth. Then, we discuss the implications of our findings for the development of city evacuation plans, whose efficiency is of paramount importance for cities threatened by natural hazards, such as volcanoes.

Autocratic Control and Urban Design: The Case of Tehran, Iran

In this paper, I present a historical analysis of the urban design and form of the city of Tehran, examining its origin, development and urban renewal schemes. On the basis of this case-study, I describe the concept of 'autocratic control' and point out how decisions, actions and interventions by a person with near-unlimited power transformed the city's morphology. I then present a typology of autocratic control and delineate the workings of the different kinds of autocratic control, including examples from other contexts. In conclusion I offer some ideas about the relevance of the concept to other cultures, situations and times.

COLONIAL URBAN MORPHOLOGIES: AN INQUIRY INTO TYPOLOGY AND EVOLUTION PATTERN

Characteristics of a city's morphology and its evolution can only be studied within the context in which different phases of development or evolution took place. With this understanding in mind a comparative study has been done. It is observed that the Colonialists often created a dual urban regional system favoring the development of the major coastal cities tied to their home economy and the extraction of wealth from the inland regions. However, it is believed that under national rule, what ever the colonizers have produced will be observed, deliberated and re-evaluated time and again, for positive assimilation of useful ideas. As these are the ideas of a civilization that has emerged and experienced through t he ages but under different environment. This assimilation in spirit may eventually give direction towards a valid and authentic architecture and urban morphology suited to the land and the people.