Multi-Level Street-Based Analysis of the Urban Fabric: Developments for a Nationwide Taxonomy

Multiple fabric assessment (MFA) is a computer-aided procedure designed for identifying and characterizing urban fabric types (morphotypes) from a street-based perspective. Nonetheless, the original MFA presents some limitations: it relies on surface-based descriptors, conceived as proxy variables for the pedestrian perspective in urban form analysis, rather than direct sight-based measurements. It also uses building footprint classes as proxies for building types. The spatial statistics on the street network concentrate on patterns of over- and under-represented values, which often results in a limited number of morphotypes. Furthermore, the morphotypes are typically valid only for a specific study area. This article presents the latest methodological advancements in MFA overcoming these four limitations. Its implementation over the eight largest French metropolitan areas successfully distinguishes approximately 20 distinct place-specific morphotypes, which are further aggregated into a comprehensive multi-level nested taxonomy. The new MFA procedure allows a nationwide comparative analysis of contemporary urban forms, laying the groundwork for a comprehensive understanding of morphologically regionalized metropolitan areas. Through detailed algorithmic improvements and nationwide implementation, integrating traditional urban morphology with streetscape analysis, MFA provides insights into the analogies and differences of the urban fabric in contemporary metropolitan areas, enabling interoperability with other domains of urban research.