“Morpho”: a methodology for assessing urban form

V. Oliveira, "Morpho: a methodology for assessing urban form," Urban Morphology 17 (2013): 1

The take-away: Focused on three variables—streets, plots, and buildings—the methodology proposed by this article is designed to identify the strengths and weaknesses inherent in any urban area.

Abstract: A methodology is proposed for assessing the physical form of urban areas. Termed morpho, it deals with fundamental elements of urban form: streets, plots and buildings. It includes seven assessment criteria: one for each of the elements individually; one for each relation between pairs of elements; and finally, one linking form and function. The application of this methodology provides a quantitative assessment of the ‘morphological basis’ of an urban area, identifying its strengths and weaknesses. It is argued that morpho can make an important contribution to urban research and practice.    

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