Study on Clustering of Urban Morphology Control Units Based on Risk Theory

Abstract

With the increasing threat of new types of risks from global climate change, the ‘uncertainty’ emphasized by the risk theory has become the most urgent problem to be faced in modern urban planning and governance. As the main element of the basic structure of the city, the urban morphology control unit should reflect the sensitivity, vulnerability and resilience of the city to deal with new types of risks, but the analysis on this issue needs to be further improved. This study selects Guangzhou, China as the case study city, with reference mainly to the risk society theory and risk city theory derived from the former one, trying to start from the three aspects of social group attributes, renewable energy application potential and ecological water storage potential, to classify and analyse ‘risk-based’ Guangzhou urban morphology control units. The results show that the Guangzhou urban morphology control units could be clustered into two types from social group aspect and five types from clean and recycled technology aspect, thus providing targeted advices. This study helps enrich the connotation and practical value of urban morphology theory.