Adaptability of urban grids: patterns of morphological change and persistence in Midtown Manhattan, 1884-2011

Urban grid, as an open framework and an adaptable form of spatial organisation, has a capacity to produce infinite complexity and variety through time. This research is about the morphological conditions that affect the generative capacity of urban grids. Arguing that there could be distinctive morphological settings and conditions that may hinder or facilitate further adaptation and change, the research aims to develop an analytical framework to identify possible morphological variables affecting the patterns of change and persistence in the built environment. The study focuses on the Midtown Manhattan, the central part of Manhattan's extensive grid, and traces the morphological changes and continuities between 1884 and 2011 by relying on a comprehensive spatial database. The longitudinal analysis of the site reveals that different characteristic areas in the grid (in terms of plot compositions, syntactic values of the streets, diversity of land uses) show different patterns of change and levels of adaptation to emerging disturbances through time. Identification of the reliable morphological parameters explaining the capacity of spatial change and persistence will contribute to the emerging discussions on the resilience and adaptability of urban form.