A computational approach to measuring social impact of urban density through mixed methods using spatial analysis

While there is a growing interest in using spatial network analysis methods such as Space Syntax to explore the socio-spatial aspects of the built form, some scholars refer to its main limitation of missing the measurements of buildings’ fabric and density. Furthermore, new approaches that attempt to address these shortcomings, such as Urban Network Analysis toolbox, do not provide as comprehensive explorations as what Space Syntax does for the street network.

Therefore, this paper proposes that a mixed-method applying both the tools in a complementary way enables a deeper understanding of the socio-spatial design metrics addressing density. Employing both tools on two cases of low and high-density neighbourhoods, the results demonstrate that the combination of these tools can minimise the shortcomings of each method individually, and lead to a more comprehensive understanding of socio-spatial design factors in relation with density.