Urban Morphology of European and Asian Cities : A Descriptive Case Study

Abstract

According to Larkham (2002), urban morphology is an important assessment method in determining the transformation processes of urban contexture, making sense of the historical roots of spatial and functional structure and bringing them to the present day. The purpose of this study is to explore various urban forms in European and Asian cities from its morphological aspects, and construe the distinction between them. To be able construe them based on their city representatives from each continent (Europe and Asia), this study begins with a discussion toward the city of Rome and London as the representative of European city, and city of Singapore and Tokyo as the representative of Asian city. Exploratory approach is used for descriptive case study to deliberate decision in figure out the comparison between two urban form in European and Asian cities based on its morphological aspects. The result of this study shows that history, road patterns, and city’s architecture strongly influence the morphological changes of the cities that discussed in this paper. Lastly, this paper also discuss the main comparation between european and asian cities based on the morphological characteristic.

Keyword: European and asian cities, urban form, urban morphology