PRODUCIENDO PERIFERIAS: MORFOLOGÍA Y HABITABILIDAD EN LAS CONURBACIONES DE CUENCA, ECUADOR
MICHELLE ESTEFANÍA PESÁNTEZ-YÉPEZ, NATASHA EULALIA CABRERA-JARA
REVISTA URBANO Nº 49 / MAYO 2024 - OCTUBRE 2024
PÁG. 62 - 77
ISSN 0717 - 3997 / 0718 - 3607
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and the urban. This variable faces the phenomenon of
“inhabiting”, which acquires dierent approaches in each
country, so establishing its meaning is complex (Rodas,
2019). The most basic denition speaks of minimum
sanitation standards in housing (Moreno, 2008), but
the concept of habitability can transcend the urban
environment. The rst refers to the internal characteristics of
homes, such as ventilation, lighting, and thermal comfort,
while urban habitability deals with the ability of cities
to meet the essential needs of their inhabitants, such as
accessibility to services and equipment (Rodas, 2019).
Relationship between morphology and habitability
A growing focus of study in urban research has been the
link between morphology and habitability from dierent
methodological and thematic approaches. Among them,
it is vital to highlight the repeated mention of urban
compactness that underlines the importance of built density
and land use eciency in the conguration of habitable
urban environments (Ananda, 2014; Hermida et al., 2015;
Mouratidis, 2018; Pan et al., 2017; Zhang & Zhang, 2015).
Ananda (2014) and Dave (2011) highlight how housing
density, inuenced by compactness, can directly impact
the provision of public infrastructure and services as key
elements for the quality of urban life. Another relevant
aspect of these investigations is the inclusion of variables
such as walkability and cyclability (Berghauser & Haupt,
2021; Ewing et al., 2016; Hermida et al., 2015; Lin & Yang,
2009). These indicators of adequate public transport and
human-oriented urban design reect a growing trend
towards urban sustainability and reducing dependence
on private transport (Houston et al., 2015; Zhang & Zhang,
2015).
The variability in the areas of habitability addressed is
remarkable; while some studies focus on basic infrastructure
and services, others extend their analyses to urban green
and sociability (Dempsey et al., 2012), components that are
increasingly recognized for their impact on the psychosocial
well-being and health of residents. This analysis highlights
approaches that prioritize eciency and land use over
those that integrate quality of life and sustainability. This
change is fundamental to face the contemporary challenges
of urbanization, especially for Latin American cities
experiencing a rapid expansion and diversication of their
peripheries (Hermida et al., 2023).
In the Latin American case, Marchant et al. (2023) examined
how the spatial congurations of peri-urban areas,
characterized by disorganized developments and horizontal
expansion, directly impact the living conditions of their
inhabitants. For example, the irregular distribution of
housing and the lack of adequate infrastructure limit access
to essential services such as drinking water, sanitation,
and public transport, exacerbating social and economic
vulnerability conditions. In addition, Flores et al.’s (2021)
research has shown that spatial fragmentation and lack of
planning result in low connectivity and accessibility, aecting
the residents’ social integration and economic opportunities.
These reections underline the importance of understanding
urban morphology not only as the physical layout, but as a
crucial determinant of the quality of life and social inclusion
in the peri-urban contexts of Latin America that integrates
psycho-social, physical-spatial and environmental aspects
(Espinoza & Gómez, 2010)
Proposed approach
This research is based on a new approach to morphological
study (Kropf, 2009), consisting of a series of mathematical
techniques “whose purpose is to decipher shapes, patterns, and
tendential behaviors” (Oliveira, 2017, p. 66), using calculations
that are easy to replicate (García, 2016). Thanks to this method,
it has been possible to triangulate quantitative data on density
and compactness by analyzing spatial conditions, which
determine certain perceptions of habitability. Alexander
et al. (1988) distinguished three approaches to this type of
quantitative data on morphology referring to the perceived,
the physical, and the measured (García, 2016). For example, the
perceived density depends on how each individual recognizes
their environment; the physical density concentrates on the
tangible and objective characteristics of the built environment,
while the set of quantitative aspects forms the so-called
measurable density. The latter represents the relationship
between an area and the number of contained elements.
This approach to urban morphology turns its components
into indicators of spatial and perceptual qualities (Pesántez &
Cabrera, 2023). The methodological item presented analyzes
the morphology using quantitative indicators, focused on the
measurable physical characteristics of urban tissues.
This research focuses on urban habitability due to its direct
relationship with morphology. It approaches it as a condition
where housing is physically integrated into the city, has
accessibility to services and equipment, and has characteristics
that decrease in marginal and dicult-to-access areas
(Alcalá, 2007). Pérez (1999) explores these conditions from
an objective-oriented approach, which includes physical
characteristics such as infrastructure, transport, and location.
On the other hand, Rodas (2019) proposes a more subjective
approach that considers aspects such as comfort, security,
social cohesion, and privacy. Urban habitability depends on
the city model, which aects dierent variables such as the
environment, infrastructure, mobility, and sociability (Pesántez
& Cabrera, 2023). It is observed that a compact urban fabric
encourages the use of public transport and sustainable modes
of transportation, such as walking and cycling. However, it
should be considered that the relationship between density
and mobility is not linear. These dense urban areas generally