The Structure and Form of Urban Settlements

Abstract

This chapter introduces you to the different theoretical and methodological approaches to the understanding and measuring of urban growth and urban patterns. Particular attention is given to urban sprawl as one of the forms of suburbanization. Urban sprawl today represents a challenge for both scientists and decision makers, due to the complexity of its generative processes and impacts. In this chapter, we introduce ways of measuring the spatial pattern of sprawl noting how remotely sensed imagery need to be integrated with spatial socioeconomic data, and how this integration is essential in making accurate interpretations of very different urban morphologies.