Morphological Analysis On The Inner-harbor Area Of Macao

The inner-harbor,is one of the two main urban areas in early Macao since it opened to the Portuguese.After 450 years' development,it had developed into the traditional commercial core of Macao featuring a very complex and diversified townscapes.The theory of urban morphology employed by M.R.G.Conzen is the most important reference in the thesis.Furthermore combining the map analysis with GIS methods,the empirical analysis is to be done in the study area.First,according to historical development and evolution of the inner-harbor,it was divided into four morphological periods,initial period,forming period,transforming period,and declining period.Secondly,for each period,the different morphological characteristics can be recognized further by town plan,land use,building forms.Their impact factors of society,politics,economics,culture are analyzed with the three elements,resulting with maps of morphological types in each period.Thirdly,some of Conzen's conclusions about part of the core of Newcastle upon Tyne,England are examined in relation to findings in the corresponding area of inner harbor.Macao is one of the earliest settlements in Eastern Asia established by Europeans,though primarily influenced over much of its existence by its predominantly Chinese population.Comparisons are made of these two urban cores in respect of(1)the processes of repletion in and around the market areas;(2)the expansion of commercial functions into adjoining areas;and(3)adaptive and augmentative redevelopment(including the creation of breakthrough streets).Finnally,the relationships between the inner harbor's evolutions and the developments of Macao's peninsula are analyzed.(1)the development of the inner harbor had changed the early structure of Macao;(2)the inner harbor underwent very different models and periods to the other areas in Macao.The fractal dimension calculation of town plan was introduced to calculate the each area and analyze the different from the background reseason.(3)it was induced as four hierarchies and overlapped to form the morphological area,which will reflect the townscapes of the inner harbor.Through the above analysis,it is concluded as below.First,it reveals different characteristics of four morphological periods.In the initial period,it is the origins of the inner harbor that boat-people had gone ashore,forming a morphological frame as one habor,three areas.In the forming period,it is the impetus of colonial ruling and Chinese merchants.Three areas were gradually merged into a whole harbor area with the Portuguese planning and Chinese residential areas.In the transforming period,the industrialization and the boom of commerce strongly pushed the transformation.The Sun-ma-lo street not only breakthrough the old urban fabrics,but also introduce new building types and facades.In the decling period,with the transfer of industry and the competition on the space,the inner-harbor underwent the disordered development,showing as the amalgamation or division,the height of the buildings,vulgarized styles of facades.Meanwhile,the evidence suggests that the three ways of transformation formulated in the British town are similar to Macao.However,Macao is much more later in the timing and only transformed partly.Secondly,it shows that the era of Portuguese town had been changed into the era of the inner harbor.The expansions and redevelopments in the inner harbor had given an impetus to the north and the east of Macao.A fractal demention of townplan can be used to recognize the different townplans.It also can be used as a guidance to the towplan in the new planning.Thirdly,the study has further developed the Conzenian theory.It reveals a cyclic-overlaying and incompletely transforming characteristics in modern coastal commercial area.By the way of GIS and quantitative methods,the accurate analysis on complex urban form is created.The approach of the division on the morphological areas in the inner harbor is followed as ‘morphological periods+townplan+building height+building styles',which has make up for the deficiency of focusing two-dimensional space expansions in Conzenian tradition.It will play a positive effect on the control and guidance in the urban morphology of Chinese old city,including Macao.