Spatial Analysis
interprets the city as a layered system structured by historical evolution, planning frameworks, and architectural form.
Spatial Parameters
Measurable geometric and topological properties of urban space.
- Density FAR · coverage ratio · units/ha
- Distance euclidean · network · nearest neighbor
- Parcel geometry area · aspect ratio · frontage · depth
- Building geometry footprint · height · volume · compactness
- Network geometry intersection density · centrality · length
- Edge / fragmentation patch size · edge density · continuity
Constraints
Rules limiting or guiding spatial configuration and transformation.
- Morphological typology · geometry · network structure
- Discretization thresholds · buffers · classification rules
- Infrastructure transport · utilities · accessibility
- Regulatory zoning · codes · planning policies
Interfaces
Link analytical results with interpretation, comparison, and synthesis.
- Reasoning rule logic · inference · decision paths
- Relationships dependencies · correlations · links
- Comparative cross-city · cross-scale analysis
- Retrieval data extraction · querying · indexing
- Evolution temporal change · growth trajectories
- Documentation sources · traceability · metadata
- Synthesis aggregation · abstraction · modeling
- Heuristic rules of thumb · expert logic
- Catalogue typologies · pattern libraries
Spatial Interpolation
Methods for estimating and distributing spatial values.
- Rule-based deterministic assignment
- Geostatistical kriging · spatial statistics
- Discrete zonal allocation · grid assignment
- Redistribution rebalancing · scaling
- Local averaging neighborhood smoothing
- Graph diffusion network propagation
Rule-Based Adjustments
Logical operations refining spatial outputs under constraints.
- Threshold cut-offs · classification limits
- Conditional if–then logic · filters
- Topological adjacency · connectivity
- Morphological shape-based transformations
- Temporal time-based rules · sequencing
- Correction bias adjustment · normalization
- Aggregation grouping · merging
- Constraint-based rule enforcement
- Similarity pattern matching · clustering input
Clustering
Grouping spatial units based on similarity and structure.
- Density DBSCAN
- Partitioning K-means · PAM
- Hierarchical Agglomerative
- Spatial SKATER · REDCAP
- Network Louvain
- Hotspot Gi* · KDE
- Model-based GMM
Patterns
Urban form structures derived from spatial metrics and clustering.
- Linear corridor · ribbon
- Dispersed sprawl · leapfrog
- Compact clustered · infill
- Transformational subdivision · densification
- Geometric grid · radial
- Irregular organic · fragmented · patchwork
Modules
Spatial Parameters
Measurable geometric and topological properties describing urban space.
- Density — floor area ratio (FAR), building coverage ratio (BCR), units per hectare
- Distance — Euclidean distance, network distance, nearest-neighbor metrics
- Parcel Geometry — area, aspect ratio, frontage, depth
- Building Geometry — footprint area, height, volume, compactness
- Network Geometry — intersection density, street length, centrality measures
- Edge / Fragmentation — patch size, edge density, spatial continuity
Constraints
Rules and limitations governing spatial configuration and transformation.
- Morphological — typology constraints, geometric compatibility, network structure
- Discretization — thresholds, buffers, classification boundaries
- Infrastructure Capacity — transport access, service provision, digital infrastructure
- Regulatory — zoning rules, building codes, planning policies
Interfaces
Link analytical results with interpretation, comparison, and synthesis processes.
- Reasoning — rule logic, inference pathways
- Relationships — dependencies and correlations between variables
- Comparative — cross-city and cross-scale analysis
- Retrieval — querying, extraction, indexing of data
- Evolution — temporal change and growth trajectories
- Documentation — source tracking, metadata, traceability
- Synthesis — aggregation, abstraction, model generation
- Heuristic — expert rules and approximations
- Catalogue — typologies, pattern libraries
Processing Methods
Methods for estimating, transforming, and organizing spatial data.
Spatial Interpolation
- Rule-based assignment
- Geostatistical methods (e.g. kriging)
- Discrete spatial allocation
- Redistribution and scaling
- Local averaging (neighborhood smoothing)
- Graph-based diffusion (network propagation)
Rule-Based Adjustments
- Threshold-based filtering
- Conditional logic (if–then rules)
- Topological constraints (adjacency, connectivity)
- Morphological transformations
- Temporal sequencing
- Correction and normalization
- Aggregation (grouping, merging)
- Constraint-based enforcement
- Similarity-based adjustment
Clustering
- Density-based (DBSCAN)
- Partitioning (K-means, K-medoids PAM)
- Hierarchical (agglomerative)
- Spatially constrained (SKATER, REDCAP)
- Network-based (Louvain community detection)
- Hotspot detection (Getis-Ord Gi*, KDE)
- Model-based (Gaussian Mixture Models)
Spatial Patterns
Urban form structures derived from spatial parameters and clustering.
- Linear — corridor-based development, ribbon structures
- Dispersed — sprawl, leapfrog development
- Compact — clustered, infill development
- Transformational — subdivision, densification processes
- Geometric — grid-based or radial planning systems
- Irregular — organic, fragmented, patchwork morphologies
Related Sections
Urban Fabric
Block structure, street networks, and spatial patterns
→ Urban Fabric · Morphology · Emergent Patterns
Architecture
Building-level typology and construction systems
→ Architecture · Typology · Construction · Taxonomy
Objective
Decode urban structure by linking form, data, and history into a comparable spatial system.