The study of urban form in Brazil

Abstract

In exploring the multidisciplinary development of urban morphology as a field of knowledge in Brazil, this paper is an outgrowth from an earlier contribution to this journal. The main aspects considered are the antecedents of urban morphology in the colonial era and early decades of independence; the pioneering work of sociologists and historians in the inter-war period; the influence of modernist thinking; the contribution of urban design courses; and the significance of the ISUF Conference held in Ouro Preto in 2007. The main characteristics and methodological foundations of studies produced in the fields of geography, architecture and urbanism are considered. The breadth of urban morphology and the challenge of stimulating further research are underlined.