Geographical characterisation of British urban form and function using the spatial signatures framework.

Area of Science:

• Urban Studies
• Geospatial Analysis
• Computational Geography

Background:

• Understanding urban dynamics requires analyzing the spatial arrangement of cities.
• Existing classifications may not capture the granular form and function of urban spaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a unified, open-source spatial typology for Great Britain.
• To create a granular classification based on spatial form and function.

Main Methods:

• Development of a bespoke granular spatial unit: the enclosed tessellation.
• Measurement of form and function characteristics within spatial context.
• Application of K-Means clustering for spatial classification across Great Britain.

Main Results:

• Generation of a national classification of space.
• Identification of 16 distinct spatial signature types, ranging from countryside to urban centers.
• Creation of spatial signature geometries by merging contiguous cells of the same class.

Conclusions:

• The developed typology provides a novel perspective on urban structure.
• The open data product can serve as boundary delineation for urban research and policymaking.
• This classification offers valuable insights for understanding cities and their spatial organization.