Conceptualization and System Design in the Monitoring of Urban Form

Historically, humanity has congregated in certain places to benefit from a division of labour and scale economies. Yet, in this process, issues inevitably emerge surrounding urban form, understood as the physical configuration of the built environment. As settlements expand and technologies change, so do these inherent problems. Official responses are put in place to address them, thereby creating direct and indirect social costs and distorting pure market forces. Efficacious and transparent governance presumes accountability and some means of appraising these interventions. Thus, systems have been established worldwide to monitor physical changes in urban form against predetermined goals and objectives. Yet, many of these efforts have fallen short in terms of effectiveness, efficiency and equity and, whether acknowledged or not, they continue to do so. The research and policy focus should be upon the fundamentals – the conceptualization stage and design of such systems. In this article, diagnosis of common problems leads to six ameliorative strategies applicable in these early phases which could improve overall outcomes. Monitoring the physical features of the built environment is significant not only in terms of the logic and integrity of city planning but also for the welfare of urban populations. While equally important and challenging problems of implementation exist on the path to urban sustainability, they are left for another day.