Comparative Study of Asian Cities’ Fabrics—The Morphological Approach

Abstract

<p>The urban morphology and housing form in traditional cities in South and West Asia are important components of urban cultures, especially in the new developments in ‘The Belt and Road Initiative’ of China. Although western colonialism in modern history had strong impacts on the urban forms, the change is evolutionary and a gradual process of sustenance and mutation. The objective of this research is to reveal morphological characteristics through cross-cultural comparative studies of the self-built urban fabrics. On the basis of morphological theories and methodologies, four cities are selected and compared in terms of three spatial hierarchies, with the morphological patterns being independent of any paradigm.</p>