The morphological dimension of municipal plans

Abstract

In the last decade an interdisciplinary field has emerged from the convergence of three European schools of thought within urban morphology. This paper explores one of the research interests in this field, mainly developed by the British school, the analysis of the relationship between urban morphology and town planning. The incorporation of morphological criteria in the Plano Director Municipal (Local Land-Use Plan) for Oporto is assessed, with reference to planning documents prepared by members of the Urban Morphology Research Group for British and French towns, and taking account of differences in legal systems. Issues addressed include the maintenance of the character of the city (Oporto is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites) a form-based typological approach to zoning, and the introduction of design detail within the planning process.