Towards a socio-ecological spatial morphology: integrating elements of urban morphology and landscape ecology

Abstract

The recent shift towards greater emphasis on biodiversity and urban ecosystems has increased the need for greater understanding of the green areas in cities as ecological environments. However, landscape ecology and urban morphology have yet to be integrated into a joint field. In this paper steps are taken towards developing an integrated socio-ecological urban morphology based on developments in each field. Such a morphology can inform professional practice in urban design. Comparisons of the different objects of description in the two fields are made and their different means of description – notably the patches, corridors and the matrix in landscape ecology, and the streets, plots and buildings in urban morphology. This provides a basis for a joint description in which these elements together form a configuration of patches.