Urban form related to historical patterns, morphogenesis, and transformations. The case of "La Tola" in the city of Quito, Ecuador

The city of Quito, like many Latin American cities, is going through an extensive urban growth process. Therefore, it caused different morphological patterns with their problems and characteristics. One of the most severe repercussions of extensive growth is undoubted the deterioration of the heritage areas that include the Historical Center, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978. "La Tola", located in the limits of this Historical Center, constitutes a traditional neighborhood of the city, which appeared as an extension of the Historical Center in the mid-20th century and holds a cultural tradition. "La Tola" is settled on a hill, leading to a semi-radial pattern that contrasts with the orthogonal grid pattern of the Historical Center. Growth sub-patterns of the urban fabric in "La Tola" show different morphological characteristics within the same neighborhood. This study is based on an analysis of urban form, which includes analyzing the demographics, streets, plots, and buildings, in contrast to the current regulations. It shows, as in other areas of Quito, an informal phenomenon of overuse of the ground floor and underutilization of height build potential. The results also demonstrate that current regulations do not correspond to the different morphological sub-patterns. Continuous population decline has resulted in the deterioration and poor quality of the urban built space.