Cape Town, South Africa © Flickr/Prasad Pillai

TOOL 3
URBAN EXTENSION

RAPID URBAN PLANNING TOOLS FOR CITY EXTENSION

URBAN TYPOLOGIES

Tool number 3 showcases 12 basic urban typologies of residential and mixed

areas. Building types, plot sizes, public space and street-scape ranging from
low to high urban densities are being displayed. The selected 12 typologies
have been chosen to be easily distinguishable from one another but at
the same time frequently appearing in different parts of the world. Each
type is illustrated by orthophotos and street views of real world examples.
Demographic figures and indicators from urban planning give an assessment
of the typologies and allow for comparisons. Through the combination of a
quantitative assessment and qualitative descriptions and examples, the relation
of residential developments to their urban environment is being described and
evaluated. The tool helps to understand intertwined urban factors on an urban
neighborhood scale like FAR in relation to plot size or value of public space.
Selected examples from western countries as well as from the global south
ensure a diversified approach to the topic.

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 Rapid Urban Planning Tools for City Extension. Tool 3: Urban Typologies
1. Informal Settlement

buildings
average number of stories 1
streets
dwelling size 20 public (no steets)
dwellings/ha 274 plots

coverage 55 % (gross)
65 % (net)

FAR 0.5 (gross)

0.7 (net)

inhabitants/ha 55,000 (household size=2)

135,000 (household size=5)
Kibera © khym54

13% 3% 84%

• difficulty of defining private space and street space

• highest gross coverage with over half of the area covered with buildings
0 50 100 200m
• not the highest population density (bit lower than block) Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya

Dharavi, Mumbai, India

Dharavi © Ting Chen

further examples:
Karail Bosti, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Building Footprint buildings & Plots Public Space Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa

0 50 100 200m

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 Rapid Urban Planning Tools for City Extension. Tool 3: Urban Typologies
2. Rural Houses

buildings
average number of stories 2
streets
dwelling size 150 public (no steets)
dwellings/ha 1 plots

coverage 0% (gross)
6% (net)

FAR 0.0 (gross)

0.1 (net)

inhabitants/ha 100 (household size=2)

250 (household size=5)
Cagayan de Oro © Thomas Stellmach

13% 3% 84%

• not urban but still included (hardly comparable to urban areas)

• by for the highest number of public space (if not agricultural land)
0 50 100 200m
• lowest percentage of streets near Cagayan de Oro Philippines

Near Nyagartare, Rwanda

Nyagatare © Joost Möhlman

Building Footprint buildings & Plots Public Space

0 50 100 200m

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 Rapid Urban Planning Tools for City Extension. Tool 3: Urban Typologies
3. Semi-Urban Area

buildings
average number of stories 1
streets
dwelling size 120 public (no steets)
dwellings/ha 6 plots

coverage 7% (gross)
10% (net)

FAR 0.1 (gross)

0.1 (net)

inhabitants/ha 1,000 (household size=2)

3,000 (household size=5)
Atlanta, USA © Google Earth

9% 20% 71%

• mainly suburban areas and rural urban fringe

• largest plot sizes, relatively low percentage of street-space 0 50 100 200m
• lowest population density and coverage after rural area Belvedere Park, Atlanta, USA
• has to be seen in comparison to connectivity and accessibility
• low FAR

Rubavu, Rwanda

Rubavu © Joost Möhlman

further examples:
Haaltert, Belgium
Building Footprint buildings & Plots Public Space

0 50 100 200m

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 Rapid Urban Planning Tools for City Extension. Tool 3: Urban Typologies
4. Developer Community

buildings
average number of stories 1.5
streets
dwelling size 112.5 public (no steets)
dwellings/ha 28 plots

coverage 16% (gross)

25% (net)

FAR 0.3 (gross)

0.5 (net)

inhabitants/ha 5,500 (household size=2)

14,000 (household size=5)
Cape Town, South Africa © Google Earth

23% 14% 63%

• often gated communities (especially in African and Latin American countries)

• lowest population density and coverage inside the urban boundary 0 50 100 200m
Rondevallei, Cape Town, South Africa

MHazienda Santa Fe, Guadalajara,

Mexico

Guadalajara, Mexico © Google Earth

further examples:
Tambore 5 Villagio, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Building Footprint buildings & Plots Public Space Dhahran, Saudi Arabia (Expat Villages)

0 50 100 200m

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 Rapid Urban Planning Tools for City Extension. Tool 3: Urban Typologies
5. Mixed/Redeveloped
buildings
streets
average number of stories 3
public (no steets)
dwelling size 120 plots
dwellings/ha 75

coverage 30% (gross)

46% (net)

FAR 0.9 (gross)

1.4 (net)

inhabitants/ha 15,000 (household size=2)

35,000 (household size=5)
Iloilo © Constantine Augustin

26% 9% 65%

• grown area
• mixed use
• inner-city 0 50 100 200m
• urban centres of many African cities Iloilo, Philippines
• space for densification, dynamic

Maputo, Mozambique

Maputo © F Mira

further examples:
Lome, Togo
Building Footprint buildings & Plots Public Space Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

0 50 100 200m

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 Rapid Urban Planning Tools for City Extension. Tool 3: Urban Typologies
6. Multifamily Complex

buildings
average number of stories 5
streets
dwelling size 60 public (no steets)
dwellings/ha 66 plots

coverage 13% (gross)

22% (net)

FAR 0.4 (gross)

0.7

inhabitants/ha 13,000 (household size=2)

30,000 (household size=5)
Rome, Italy © Google Earth

18% 22% 60%

• high diversity in number of stories and size (as seen on the picture)
• relatively high percentage of public space
0 50 100 200m
• large plots of one owner Quartiere XXVII Monte SACRO Alto,
Rome, Italy

Sid Barakat, Alexandria, Egypt

Alexandria © Lyn Gateley

further examples:
Kirchheim, Heidelberg, Germany
Building Footprint buildings & Plots Public Space Les Portes de Marrakesh, Marrakesh,
Morocco

0 50 100 200m

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 Rapid Urban Planning Tools for City Extension. Tool 3: Urban Typologies
7. Row House

buildings
average number of stories 2
streets
dwelling size 90 public (no steets)
dwellings/ha 65 plots

coverage 29% (gross)

47% (net)

FAR 0.6 (gross)

0.9 (net)

inhabitants/ha 13,000 (household size=2)

30,000 (household size=5)
London, UK © Google Earth

28% 9% 63%

• 3rd largest percentage of plots

• mostly older neighborhoods
0 50 100 200m
• street grid MERTON PARK, London, UK

VILLERAY, Montreal, Canada

Montreal, Canada © Google Earth

further examples:
University Quarter, Belfast, Northen
Building Footprint buildings & Plots Public Space Ireland
Taman Megah Ria, Johor Bahru,
Malaysia
0 50 100 200m

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 Rapid Urban Planning Tools for City Extension. Tool 3: Urban Typologies
8. Block

buildings
average number of stories 5
streets
dwelling size 60 public (no steets)
dwellings/ha 330 plots

coverage 40% (gross)

73% (net)

FAR 2.0 (gross)

3.7 (net)

inhabitants/ha 65,000 (household size=2)

165,000 (household size=5)
Lyon, France © Google Earth

38% 8% 54%

• few public space

• inner-city
0 50 100 200m
• highest FAR after residential towers and CBD
• high population density Lyon, France
• mixed use
• well connected
• diverse plot and dwelling size Madrid, Spain

Madrid, Spain © Google Earth

further examples:
Žižkov, Prague, Check Republic
Building Footprint buildings & Plots Public Space Mollevangen, Malmö, Sveden

0 50 100 200m

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 Rapid Urban Planning Tools for City Extension. Tool 3: Urban Typologies
9. Densified Block
buildings
streets
average number of stories 5
public (no steets)
dwelling size 60 plots
dwellings/ha 360

coverage 44% (gross)

68% (net)

FAR 2.2 (gross)

3.4 (net)

inhabitants/ha 70,000 (household size=2)

180,000 (household size=5)
Paris, France © Google Earth

34% 2% 64%

• city centres of many European cities

• population density very high (comparable to residential tower)
• very little public area except for street-space 0 50 100 200m
• grown area Paris, France
• often large street width
• mixed use

Munich, Germany

Munich, Germany © Google Earth

further examples:
Vienna, Austria
Building Footprint buildings & Plots Public Space Milano, Italy

0 50 100 200m

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 Rapid Urban Planning Tools for City Extension. Tool 3: Urban Typologies
10. Slab

buildings
average number of stories 8
streets
dwelling size 60 public (no steets)
dwellings/ha 240 plots

coverage 18% (gross)

38% (net)

FAR 1.5 (gross)

3.1 (net)

inhabitants/ha 50,000 (household size=2)

120,000 (household size=5)
Moscow, Russia © Google Earth

34% 18% 47%

• high population density combined with a low coverage

• former soviet union and east Asia
0 50 100 200m
• large access roads RAYON CHERTANOVO TSENTRALNOYE,
• very strong in size and building depth (appr. 12 - 25m) Moscow, Russia

Xiu Mamcun, Shanghai, China

Shanghai © Sarah Worthy

further examples:
Nacheng Zhuagcun, Beijing, China
Building Footprint buildings & Plots Public Space Petrzalka, Bratislava, Slovakia

0 50 100 200m

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 Rapid Urban Planning Tools for City Extension. Tool 3: Urban Typologies
11. Tower
buildings
streets
average number of stories 15
public (no steets)
dwelling size 60 plots
dwellings/ha 370

coverage 15% (gross)

28% (net)

FAR 2.2 (gross)

4.2 (net)

inhabitants/ha 70,000 (household size=2)

180,000 (household size=5)
Beijing, China © 陈常嘉_北京

34% 9% 57%

• high percentage of public space

• highest population density
• East Asia 0 50 100 200m
• large streets Hai Hu New Village, Beijing, China
• buildings not directly accessible from main road
• highest average number of stories

Wicity Seoul, South Korea

Seoul, South Korea © Google Earth

further examples:
Navi, Mumbai, India
Building Footprint buildings & Plots Public Space Huangjiagou, Chongqing, China

0 50 100 200m

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 Rapid Urban Planning Tools for City Extension. Tool 3: Urban Typologies
12. CBD
buildings
streets
average number of stories 10
public (no steets)
dwelling size plots
dwellings/ha

coverage 48% (gross)

83% (net)

FAR 4.8 (gross)

8.3 (net)

inhabitants/ha

Chicago, USA © Google Earth

34% 9% 57%

• mixed use, commercial use

• difficult to estimate residential density, varies strongly from city to city
• low amount of public green 0 50 100 200m
• often rigid street grid Chicago, USA

Johannesburg, South Africa

Johannesburg, South Africa

© Google Earth

further examples:
Santiago de Chile, Chile
Building Footprint buildings & Plots Public Space Hongkong

0 50 100 200m

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 Rapid Urban Planning Tools for City Extension. Tool 3: Urban Typologies
Evaluation of Indicators

1. informal settlement 13 3 84
TEXT Coverage in % TEXT
2. rural house 4 90 6
3. semi-urban area 9 20 71 1. informal settlement

2. rural house
4. developer community 23 14 63
3. semi-urban area
5. mixed/redeveloped 26 9 65
4. developer community
6. multifamily complex 18 22 60
5. mixed/redeveloped
7. row house 28 9 63 6. multifamily complex

8. block 38 8 54 7. row house

9. densified block 34 2 64 8. block

10. slab 34 18 47 9. densified block

10. slab
11. tower 26 22 52
11. tower
12. CBD 34 9 57
12. CBD
0 50 100
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

% streets % public (no streets) % plots net coverage % (buildings/plots) gross coverage % (buildings/total area)

Population Desity TEXT Floor Area Ratio (FAR) TEXT

1 informal settlement 1. informal settlement

2.rural house 2. rural house

3. semi-urban area 3. semi-urban area

4. developer community 4. developer community

5. mixed/redeveloped 5. mixed/redeveloped

6. multifamily complex 6. multifamily complex

7. row house 7. row house

8. block 8. block
9. densified block 9. densified block
10. slab 10. slab
11. tower 11. tower
12. CBD 12. CBD

0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000 700,000 800,000 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

householdsize=5 householdsize=2 net FAR (plots) gross FAR (all area)

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 Johor Bahru, Malaysia © Alessandro Scotti
September 2014

UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme)

Urban Planning and Design Branch
P.O.BOX30030 Nairobi 00100 Kenya
Tel: +254 20 7623706
urban.planning@unhabitat.org

www.unhabitat.org