Roots of Urban Morphology

Abstract

This paper provides a comprehensive review of the research field ofurban morphology: the study of urban form. Urban morphology is agrowing field of cross-disciplinary research, attracting worldwideinterest among scholars in architecture, geography and planning. It aimsto decipher the physical form, the urban landscape or townscape ofcomplex contemporary cities. This paper discusses the evolution ofurban morphology, from its conceptual foundations in research on thephysical form of urban areas. Interestingly, the roots of urbanmorphology can be traced back to different disciplines in differentcountries. This discussion will cast light on various researchperspectives of urban morphology, as well as discussing similarities anddifferences between the geographical and the architectural approachesto urban form studies. This is followed by a closer look at the theoriesdeveloped by Gianfranco Caniggia and MRG Conzen. Their work has beenan inspiration for many practitioners and researchers, includingWhitehand, Maffei, and Moudon to name a few. Finally, a schematicdiagram is presented, which reflects the heightened activity of researchon physical form that is currently occurring in several disciplinessimultaneously, and showing the relationships between researchtraditions and authors. As the formation and development of the urbanlandscape becomes ever more diverse, it is necessary to revisit and use the concepts and methods established by Caniggia and Conzen in themanagement of urban landscape changes.