Land-Use Mix Intensity and Open Space Ratio towards Sustainable Urban Form: Spatio-Temporal Transformation of Cities from Sub Saharan Africa Perspective

Abstract

A sustainable urban form needs accommodate a mix of varied compatible land uses with ample open space ratio though going through transformation. This study, thus, aims to examine the sustainability of land-use transformation patterns from Sub-Saharan African cities’ perspective. It also analyzes consequences of formal planning interventions and organic developments on open space ratio both in the inner city and the periphery. Hence, land-use mix and open space ratio are compared over time at both plot and neighborhood levels, which are both scholarly and practical. The research covers six cases from three morphological periods. Results indicate that the intensity of mixed-land use declined over time at plot levels, while the figure increased at neighborhood levels. Besides, moving from historic cores to peripheries reduces the intensity of mixed-land use at the neighborhood level. Across years, the intensity of mixed-land use showed a decreasing trend reflecting a reduction in the sustainable urban form. To avert this, cities need to integrate practices and principles of both organic development and formal planning endeavors. In addition, ensuring mixity and the existence of ample open space ratio helps to improve sustainability both at plot and neighborhood levels.