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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
This work is part of a master’s degree thesis entitled “Morphology and Urban Habitability on the Edges of an Intermediate City” at the
University of Azuay, Ecuador.
Magíster en Arquitectura, mención en Proyectos Urbanos y Arquitectónicos
Investigadora, estudiante de Maestría en Docencia Universitaria.
Universidad de Azuay, Cuenca, Ecuador.
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6871-0075
michelle.pesantez@es.uazuay.edu.ec
Doctora en Arquitectura y Estudios Urbanos
Docente- Investigadora, Grupo de Investigación Cultura y Patrimonio, UDA
Grupo de Investigación LlactaLAB-Ciudades Sustentables
Universidad de Azuay - Universidad de Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1469-2349
necabrera@uazuay.edu.ec
https://doi.org/10.22320/07183607.2024.27.49.06
1
2
3
Recibido: 19-02-2024
Aceptado: 14-05-2024
PRODUCIENDO PERIFERIAS: MORFOLOGÍA Y HABITABILIDAD EN LAS CONURBACIONES
DE CUENCA, ECUADOR
PRODUCING PERIPHERIES:
MORPHOLOGY AND
HABITABILITY IN THE
CONURBATIONS OF CUENCA,
ECUADOR
1
MICHELLE ESTEFANÍA PESÁNTEZYÉPEZ 2
NATASHA EULALIA CABRERAJARA 3
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
79
The expansion of Latin American intermediate cities has left irregular and discontinuous occupation patterns in their peripheral
territories. In appearance, the congurations of the urban edges do not have relevant differences. In fact, each morphological
structure is heterogeneous and has its own behaviors, different occupation motivations, and diverse resulting consolidated
models. In Cuenca, Ecuador, these diffuse zones between the urban and rural limits are marked by segregation dynamics and
dependence on the consolidated center and have the lowest quality-of-life indexes in the city. In this context, the objective
of the research was to nd a possible relationship between the types of peripheral morphologies and the levels of urban
habitability of four city urban centers, using a quantitative methodological design with a two-stage correlational scope. Initially,
urban morphologies were classied, and the habitability levels were rated separately, applying independent instruments. Then,
the results were cross-checked to describe possible links between variables. The ndings highlight signicant disparities in
habitability between conurbations and dene an apparent direct correlation between the two dimensions of analysis.
Keywords: urban morphology, habitability, periphery, urban sprawl, intermediate city.
La expansión de las ciudades intermedias latinoamericanas ha dejado patrones de ocupación irregulares y discontinuos
sobre sus territorios periféricos. En apariencia, las conguraciones urbanas de los bordes no dieren de manera relevante,
sin embargo, cada estructura morfológica es heterogénea, posee conductas propias, diferentes motivaciones de ocupación
y resulta en diversos modelos consolidados. En Cuenca, Ecuador, estas zonas difusas entre el límite urbano y rural están
marcadas a su vez por dinámicas de segregación y dependencia al centro consolidado y en ellas se registran los índices de
calidad de vida más bajos de la ciudad. En este contexto, el objetivo de la investigacn fue encontrar una posible relacn entre
los tipos de morfologías periféricas y los niveles de habitabilidad urbana de cuatro núcleos urbanos de la ciudad. Se usó un
diseño metodogico cuantitativo de alcance correlacional de dos etapas. Inicialmente, se clasicaron las morfologías urbanas
y se calicaron los niveles de habitabilidad por separado, aplicando instrumentos independientes. Posteriormente se cruzaron
los resultados para describir posibles vínculos entre variables. Los hallazgos resaltan disparidades signicativas de habitabilidad
entre conurbaciones y se dene una aparente correlación directa entre ambas dimensiones de análisis.
Palabras clave: morfología urbana, habitabilidad, periferia, dispersión urbana, ciudad intermedia.
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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
I. INTRODUCTION
The growth of cities towards their peripheries has been
constant throughout history since the formation of new
communities alongside old cities that exceeded their
natural boundaries (Mumford et al., 2014) through the
accelerated expansion during the Industrial Revolution,
which transformed urban morphology and lifestyles, giving
rise to the phenomenon of the peri-urban (Bruegmann,
2005). This expansive process has been associated with
the appearance of marginal and disorganized areas, linked
to socioeconomic gaps and lack of planning (Freidberger,
2000), which has generated criticism of the dispersed
city model due to its negative impact on the quality of
urban life and its surrounding rural environment (Hermida
et al., 2015; Cabrera, 2016). Nowadays, urban edges are
conceived as passive support of what the center rejects
or cannot contain (Villamizar, 2014). Martins and Pereira
(2022) mention that their uncontrolled growth will
fragment the territory, decreasing the levels of habitability
on the citys margins.
Particularly in Latin America, the most significant
transformation of its territorial structure took place during
the second half of the last century (Montero & García,
2017), moving from a rural predominance to an urban
profile where the population of cities increased from 33%
to 74% between 1940 and 1995 (Gilbert, 1997). This change
was accompanied by a decrease in population density
(Hermida et al., 2023), deepening the already entrenched
segregation processes and transforming the region into
one of the most urbanized in the world (ECLAC, 2020).
In Latin American cities, expansive dynamics result in
specific morphologies linked to social and economic
conflicts (Díaz & Medina, 2019; Ruiz & Romano, 2019;
Segarra, 2021). The urban edge territories have been
transforming into scenarios of shortcomings, which
demand a broader reading, associated not only with their
physical dimension but also social and political. The link
between these dimensions is evident in several urban
texts (Abdelrashid, 2023; Alexander, 1977; Gehl, 2010) and
is addressed in this article by studying four peripheral
neighborhoods of the intermediate city of Cuenca in
Ecuador.
The main objective was to identify and describe the
relationship between the types of peripheral morphologies
and the habitability levels in the selected cases. The article
is based on a literature review where it studies, on the one
hand, morphology understood as the physical layout of
the built area in a fabric that confers shape and structure
to the urban environment and, on the other, habitability as
the set of urban conditions that make a place suitable and
comfortable to live (Mouratidis, 2018). A methodological
design of a correlational scope quantitative approach,
conducted in two stages, is used to achieve the objective.
In the first, the morphological typologies of each
neighborhood are defined using Spacematrix, while the
habitability levels are evaluated on a table of indicators
scored on the Likert scale. In the second stage, the results
are correlated by comparing them with the literature.
Finally, a discussion based on the comparison of analyzed
data is raised.
II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Conceptual delimitation of periphery, morphology,
and habitability
When addressing the relationship between morphology
and habitability in peripheral neighborhoods, it becomes
imperative to specify these concepts, which constitute
the central line of this research. Firstly, the denition of
‘periphery refers to those areas named by the literature
as edge, urban-rural interface, or peri-urban (Hermida
et al., 2023) that are formed on the margin of cities, that
are cataloged or not as expansion and live permanent
urbanization processes” (Toro et al., 2005, p.57) and are
characterized by a dispersed, disjointed and unplanned
growth model (Díaz & Medina, 2019).
On the other hand, morphology is understood as the
physical layout of the built area in a fabric that confers
shape and structure to the urban environment (Pesántez
& Cabrera, 2023). This conguration can be analyzed from
various theoretical perspectives, including the historical-
geographical approach that studies three fundamental
elements: plot, building, and land use (Rocca et al., 2013);
and the typological-project style approach, oriented to
the interpretation of the territorial form and its building
patterns (Oliveira, 2017). For Prieto et al. (2018), on the
other hand, the approaches to urban morphology study
are related to three major schools: the Anglo-Saxon, the
Italian, and the French. The Anglo-Saxon emphasizes the
study of roads, parceling, and land use, considering parcel
dynamics as a product of social transformations. The Italian
school emphasizes the formative aspects of building
typology, where the most repetitive architecture becomes
a decisive element of the urban form. Meanwhile, the
French school presents the block as the unit of analysis
that helps explain the citys structure and the urban
project.
Finally, ‘habitability is dened as the conditions that make
a place suitable and comfortable (Mouratidis, 2018),
recognizing two interrelated aspects: the architectural
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
81
and the urban. This variable faces the phenomenon of
“inhabiting, which acquires dierent approaches in each
country, so establishing its meaning is complex (Rodas,
2019). The most basic denition 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 dierent
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 eciency in the conguration 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, inuenced 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 reect 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 eciency 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 diversication of their
peripheries (Hermida et al., 2023).
In the Latin American case, Marchant et al. (2023) examined
how the spatial congurations 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, aecting
the residents social integration and economic opportunities.
These reections 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 dicult-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 aects dierent 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