MORPHOLOGICAL DIMENSION

Urban design’s Morphological dimension

deals with the configuration of urban form
and space, and the spatial patterns of
infrastructure that support it. There are
essentially two types of urban space system –
one is where buildings define space; the
other where buildings are objects-in-space.
Morphological dimension can be discussed in
four parts:

• Urban morphology
• Morphological transformation
• Third & fourth parts deals with aspects of
contemporary reaction
 URBAN MORPHOLOGY:
Urban Morphology of different cities
Differences in street and block
patterns, plot patterns, the
arrangement of buildings within plots
and the shapes of buildings create
very different environments – the
different patterns are commonly
referred to as ‘urban tissue’ (Caniggia
& Maffel 1979, 1984).
Urban morphology – the study of change in the
physical form and shape of settlements over time –
focuses on patterns and processes of growth and
change.
Urban morphology refers to the study of urban
form that focuses on the formation and
transformation of urban forms of cities, towns, and
villages over time; their spatial patterns at different
scales; and physical characteristics to inform
appropriate urban interventions to promote
sustainable urban development. The concepts and
approaches to the study of urban form are
multidisciplinary. Relevant subject fields are
ranging from human geography, urban planning,
urban design, architecture, and sociology to
cultural studies. Urban morphology usually
benefits urban management, design and planning,
urban conservation and regeneration, as well as
urban policy-making in general to contribute to
social economic and environmental sustainability.
MORPHOLOGICAL ELEMENTS:
Four main morphological elements by Cozen to see how
morphological structures are composed of interrelated
layers:

Land uses – Changes to land uses include both new uses

coming in and existing uses moving to other areas.
Building structures – There has often been a
recognisable cycle of building development on each
plot.
Plot pattern – Cadastral units (urban blocks) are
typically subdivided or ‘platted’ into plots or lots.
These may be ‘back-to-back’ plots, each having a
frontage onto a main street or circulation route and
a shared or common plot boundary at the rear.
Cadastral (street) pattern – The cadastral pattern is the
layout of urban blocks and public space/movement
channels between those blocks. The spaces
between the blocks can be considered to be the
public space network.
REGULAR AND DEFORMED GRIDS:

Regular or ‘ideal grids’:

• Characterised by geometric regularity.
• They are typically planned and have some degree
of geometric discipline.
Due to the ease of laying out streets, the most basic
planned layouts have generally been rectilinear and
many settlements with regular or semi-regular grids
EW YORK: “Midtown Manhattan exist.
south of Central Park”
‘Deformed’ grids:
• Characterised by apparent irregularity.
• The cores of pre-industrial cities tend to have
‘deformed’ grids.
Generally based on pedestrian movement and strongly
influenced by topography, they were integral parts of the
immediate area, rather than through-routes, and evolved
Car-free zone called the Stroget”
COPENHAGEN: “City features and developed through
use.
THE PUBLIC SPACE NETWORK:
When the principal modes of transport
were by foot or horse, the realms of
movement and social space had
considerable overlap. With the
development of new modes of land-based
travel, the realms became more separated
and increasingly compartmentalised into
vehicular movement space and pedestrian
movement/social space. Sidewalk zones

CONCLUSION:

Urban design’s morphological dimension

focuses on urban form and urban layout,
highlighting contemporary preferences for
urban block and interconnected street
patterns. It has also focused on the public
space network and the physical public
realm – the physical setting or stage for
public life.