An integrated framework for assessment of urban forms and their transformation

Abstract

This paper addresses an integrated framework on the basis of different urban morphological theories: histocico-geographical approach, space syntax, and the Morpho method. It includes eleven criteria focusing on the assessment of urban forms and their transformations. These criteria are the accessibility of streets, connectivity of streets, intelligibility, synergy, street block size, plot size, building coverage, floor area ratio, block-plan size based on the town-plan or ground plan; building height and total constructed area (density of buildings) based on building fabric. Sekiz Mahalle (Konya, Turkey) is used to validate the methodological procedures of this integrated framework. The implementation of the methodology enables a strong basis for how an urban area should be transformed, and what should be followed before any interventions in the urban landscape. It is argued that this methodology can provide a smoother transition of the physical form of cities. It can play a substantial role in the preparation of municipal plans and designs in which any change is needed, balancing the conservation and transformation of morphological constituents of the urban landscape.