Addis Ababa University (AAU)

Ethiopian Institute of Architecture Building

Construction and City Development (EIABC)

Chair of Urban and Regional Planning

Fourth Year BSc. In Urban Planning and Design

Course Title: Integrated Urban Project III (Extension of an Existing

City Planning and Design)

Thematic Concept of Urban Morphology and Centrality

SUBMITTED BY: GEBEREGZIABHER ANTENEH

ID: UGR/4593/12

Given Date: November 17, 2022

Submission Date: November 29, 2022

 Fourth Year BSc. in Urban Planning and design Regular Program
Course Title: Integrated Urban Project III (Extension of an Existing City Planning and Design)
individual Assignment 1: The Concept of Urban Morphology and centrality

THE CONCEPT OF URBAN MORPHOLOGY

Urban morphology is the study of urban spatial form – the assemblage of buildings and public
spaces that comprise the city. It also entails analysis of the forces that produce such an
assemblage and the spatial practices that are produced therein. The mapping of urban
morphology requires that we treat the city as a series of distinct layers of information and then
select particular layers for specific analytical purposes. In urban design, these often include
building footprints, heights, types, grain size, densities, functions, movement networks and street
life.
The morphological analysis of the city has as its main objective the understanding of urban
reality through the study of the relationships shown between the all-urban elements. This
analysis also sees the city as a product of an evolutionary and dynamic process, which ponders
the different techniques and socioeconomic realities that over space and time are building and
transforming the urban areas.
METHODS OF ANALAYSING URBAN MORPHOLOGY
Firstly, city blocks are used as spatial units for morphological properties to be derived and
interpreted. Secondly, the morphological properties derived are interpreted on quantitative basis.
The morphological properties featured in this study are: (1) surface area per projected area; (2)
volume per projected area; (3) building to land ratio; (4) mean height of buildings; (5) surface
area of buildings per unit volume of buildings; and, (6) mean volume of buildings. These six
properties are calculated for each block, and interpreted with attentions to their interrelationships
as well as geographical distributions. This attempt reveals gradations of morphological properties
of blocks in feature spaces and the geographical space, which has potentials to enable
quantitative comparisons of cities domestically and internationally.
THE CONCEPT OF URBAN CENTERALITY
Urban centralities are seen as hubs of activity, as important elements within the structure of
towns that contribute to urban vitality and fight urban failure. Urban centrality is the
characteristic of a place being central to its periphery.
Urban centralities are associated with a given city’s evolution, but the influence of local factors
can only be perceived over long periods.
METHODS OF ANALAYSING URBAN CENTERALITY
The methodology adopted in this study aims to cross the results of three different approaches to
highlight the emergence of urban centralities. A survey and assessment of urban centralities as
proposed by Gaspar (Gaspar, 1985), a space syntax approach (Hillier, 1996; Hillier & Hanson,
1984), and a chronological urban plan analysis. The adopted methodology was applied in three
stages:
1. to identify and assess urban centralities, a survey, diachronic analysis, and a centrality index
(CI) were carried out, following the methods proposed by Gaspar. (Gaspar, 1985);
2. Space syntax was used to analyze the urban form characteristics, which have proved to be
important with regard to the degree of attractivity of an urban space, thus helping to identify
urban centralities;
3. An analysis of urban planning in Évora was carried out.

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