Quantitative Evaluation Method for Morphological Resilience of Historical Blocks

What is it about?

At present, the research on the resilience of historical blocks is mainly focused on the theoretical interpretation, and lacks the scientific and complete practical approach to quantify the resilience. For the purpose of protecting the morphology of historical blocks, the resistance of morphology is the main body of quantitative evaluation of the morphological resilience. On the basis of analyzing the feasibility of combining Conzen’ s morphological framework with the resilience theory, a quantitative evaluation method for the morphological resilience of historical districts was constructed, which took the division of “morphological resilience regions”as the core. Four morphological resilience indexes including road system connectivity, block modularity, land use function diversity and building texture robustness were used in the evaluation. Finally, weighted overlay was used to obtain the regional map of historical blocks’morphological resilience, which was used to reflect the resilience of different morphological types. On this basis, five types of morphological resilience management units are further divided according to the style type and the strength of resilience. The ultimate goal is to realize the meticulous protection and management of the morphology of the historic district.

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Photo by Jeffrey Zhang on Unsplash

Photo by Jeffrey Zhang on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This article is significant for several key reasons: Addresses a Methodological Gap It responds to the current lack of practical, quantitative approaches for assessing resilience in historic urban districts—an area often dominated by theoretical discussion. This study constructs a tangible method based on morphological (physical form) characteristics Integrative Framework Combining Theories The study innovatively merges Conzen’s urban morphology framework—a well-established method for analyzing the layout and form of urban space—with resilience theory, generating a novel mixed-method approach Develops Clear, Measurable Indicators It proposes four specific quantitative indicators to evaluate morphological resilience: Road system connectivity Block modularity Land-use functional diversity Building texture robustness These offer clear, measurable criteria that urban planners can apply to evaluate and compare different areas. Spatial Mapping at Scale By applying weighted overlay analysis, the study transforms these indicators into spatial maps that highlight varying resilience levels across urban zones. This allows planners to visualize and prioritize which areas need intervention Informs Heritage Protection and Management The research delineates five distinct resilience management units within each historic block. These units are tailored based on block style and resilience strength, enabling targeted, fine-tuned conservation strategies Valuable Case Study: Luoyang’s Xinanyu & Dongnanyu Using real-world historic blocks in Luoyang (Xinanyu and Dongnanyu subdistricts), the study demonstrates the feasibility and practical value of the proposed method. This empirical grounding enhances its credibility and transferability to other contexts