Urban Development: A Historical and Morphological Overview

City Concept

Quantitative Criteria: Considers all core city populations exceeding a certain number of inhabitants.

Qualitative Criteria: Considers cities and villages that meet certain characteristics: high population density and high-rise dwellings, the predominance of economic activities and industries. The consideration of these criteria defines a core city as a large population center with high population density, a predominance of industrial activity, and an urban lifestyle.

Development Process

1. Pre-Industrial Cities (Until the Industrial Revolution)

Cities were small, served as centers of political and religious power, and fostered craft businesses.

• The first cities emerged in Mesopotamia on the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, almost all adopting an irregular layout.
• During the Classical Age (first millennium BC), cities spread throughout the Mediterranean. Greeks and Romans created cities with regular plans.
• In the Middle Ages (starting in the 11th century), European Christian cities reemerged due to booming trade. Muslim cities also reached remarkable development, often enclosed by walls.
• In the Modern Age (15th and 16th centuries), monarchies improved urban planning.

2. Industrial Cities (From the late 18th century)

The Industrial Revolution significantly impacted cities.

• Rapid city growth due to rural migration.
• Emergence of new urban classes: the bourgeoisie and the working class, leading to distinct neighborhoods.
• Urban landscapes transformed with the introduction of factories and electricity.

3. Present-Day Cities

Urban growth shows marked differences between developed and developing countries.

• Developed Countries: Urban growth increased until the 1975 crisis. Currently, growth has stabilized or even regressed due to population shifts to rural areas.
• Developing Countries: Urban growth remains very high.

Urban Morphology

Urban morphology, the form a city takes, is a combination of several factors:

Location

The space upon which the city sits. Preferred locations throughout history have included hills and riverbanks.

Situation

The position of the city relative to its geographical environment.

City Layout

The set of built-up areas and open spaces within the city, including houses and streets. Layouts vary, and large cities often have complex plans formed by the juxtaposition of various types.

Types of City Plans

• Irregular: Untidy streets arranged unpredictably.
• Grid: Straight streets intersecting at right angles.
• Radiocentric: Radial streets split from a central point and are intersected by concentric rings.

Construction and Land Use

Construction and land use are two basic components of the urban landscape.

Plot

The arrangement of buildings within the city.

• Open Plot: Buildings are separated from each other.
• Closed Plot: Buildings are arranged side by side.

Building

Buildings can be individual or collective, low or high-rise. Building styles have varied over time. Historic cities feature lower buildings, while industrial cities are dominated by blocks and towers of greater height.

Uses

The different uses of urban space, which can be residential, industrial, or for services.