GIS-Based Methodology for Characterising Neighbourhood Morphology in Hong Kong

Abstract

Studies on urban morphology have attracted increasing attention with widespread urbanization at an ever accelerating pace. Urbanization which is typified by compact and high-rise urban forms has brought about a range of physical, human, and environmental impacts. This research aims to develop a methodology to characterise effectively urban morphological constructs by applying the geographic information systems (GIS) technology and using Hong Kong as an illustrative example. 62 neighbourhoods from four geographic regions of Hong Kong were investigated and their morphological characteristics compared in terms of greenery coverage, street patterns (density and intersection), and building height. The radar chart was used to summarise and quantify distinct characteristics of the local morphology. Our findings indicated that the methodological approach is effective in abstracting morphological differences among the neighbourhoods and the method can be adapted to other urban settings to measure morphological attributes in an objective way.