Morphological Coherence Analysis in Urban Renewal Areas: The Case of Metro-Quitumbe Urban Planning Unit

In 2016, with the approval of the Organic Law on Territorial Planning, Land Use and Management, Ecuadorian cities had, for the first time, a legal framework that regulated their urban planning, establishing mechanisms to allow local governments to conceptualize, finance, and execute urban development plans. It also defined various urban planning approaches for local governments to apply within their jurisdictions, based on land classification – urban, urban expansion or rural –, and its degree of conservation (or deterioration). Among these, a renewal approach is meant for urban areas that lack morphological coherence due to deterioration and/or low intensity of urban usage. Quito’s Land Use and Management Plan has identified non-compact urban areas for that approach, designating several vacant plots as Urban Planning Units where urban projects must be developed, improving infrastructure, increasing urban activity through land use mixture, and integrating itself with the ensemble. This brief study was designed to ascertain if the Zoning conditions established in Quito can indeed improve Metro-Quitumbe Urban Planning Unit’s morphological coherence. The analysis of land occupancy, building alignments, and building heights show that the development potential set for this Urban Planning Unit does not actually guarantee it within the Territorial Intervention Polygon.