One of the challenges confronting cities innon-industrialised countries today is the fact that cities aregrowing at unprecedented rates, sizes and densities. Growthtrends in these cities are largely unregulated. In thesecountries, cities have changed in at least four major ways:their size, spatial organisation or morphology, the quality anddistribution of public services and infrastructure and theiremployment base. While this situation can be attributed toglobal urbanisation trends, the general poor knowledge on howthese cities develop, densify and acquire certain physicalcharacteristics has limited effective urban planning andmanagement. At times, the pervasive knowledge gap has beenassociated with the lack of relevant theories and concepts toexplain the evolution, growth and prevailing spatial qualities.However, the limited research in this field has alsocontributed to this problem. The other problem that confrontsthe rapidly urbanising city is continued sprawl that has beenmanifested in externalities of inadequate infrastructureprovision and under-utilisation of scarce resourcesparticularly land. This thesis is an attempt to contribute towards addressingthese two problem areas. The main field of study is on urbantypes within a rapidly urbanising city context. Dar es Salaamcity was selected a case study area. The study exploresthetheoretical framework for classification and analysis ofsettlements. The relevance of this framework in the studycontext is examined. At low scale level, the study provides ananalysis of house forms, density, plot characteristics, spacesand space uses in formal and informal settlements. The analysis shows that urbanisation under poverty andlow-density urban types greatly influence the sprawlingcharacter of the city. The increasing market-led housingdevelopment and ineffective planning responses are contributingfactors to the observed unguided densification anddeteriorating spatial qualities. It has also been shown thatwhile theoretical frameworks developed from most industrialisedcountries can be adapted to analyse urban types innon-industrialised countries, these theories are limited incomprehending fully the growth and character of rapidlyurbanising cities. <b>Key words:</b>Urban types, house forms, density, plotcharacteristics, spaces and space use, spatial quality, formaland informal settlements, Dar es Salaam.

<p>One of the challenges confronting cities innon-industrialised countries today is the fact that cities aregrowing at unprecedented rates, sizes and densities. Growthtrends in these cities are largely unregulated. In thesecountries, cities have changed in at least four major ways:their size, spatial organisation or morphology, the quality anddistribution of public services and infrastructure and theiremployment base. While this situation can be attributed toglobal urbanisation trends, the general poor knowledge on howthese cities develop, densify and acquire certain physicalcharacteristics has limited effective urban planning andmanagement. At times, the pervasive knowledge gap has beenassociated with the lack of relevant theories and concepts toexplain the evolution, growth and prevailing spatial qualities.However, the limited research in this field has alsocontributed to this problem. The other problem that confrontsthe rapidly urbanising city is continued sprawl that has beenmanifested in externalities of inadequate infrastructureprovision and under-utilisation of scarce resourcesparticularly land.</p><p>This thesis is an attempt to contribute towards addressingthese two problem areas. The main field of study is on urbantypes within a rapidly urbanising city context. Dar es Salaamcity was selected a case study area. The study exploresthetheoretical framework for classification and analysis ofsettlements. The relevance of this framework in the studycontext is examined. At low scale level, the study provides ananalysis of house forms, density, plot characteristics, spacesand space uses in formal and informal settlements.</p><p>The analysis shows that urbanisation under poverty andlow-density urban types greatly influence the sprawlingcharacter of the city. The increasing market-led housingdevelopment and ineffective planning responses are contributingfactors to the observed unguided densification anddeteriorating spatial qualities. It has also been shown thatwhile theoretical frameworks developed from most industrialisedcountries can be adapted to analyse urban types innon-industrialised countries, these theories are limited incomprehending fully the growth and character of rapidlyurbanising cities.</p><p><b>Key words:</b>Urban types, house forms, density, plotcharacteristics, spaces and space use, spatial quality, formaland informal settlements, Dar es Salaam.</p>

Changes of physical, functional and social structure of the city as a result of the group of variously interrelated changes and events that are fundamentally participate in the formation of the image of the urban development. This doctoral thesis is based on research of the historical city center - squared. First part is focuses on the historical development of urban texture of the inner city of Brno and its squares. We are talking about Square of Freedom, Vegetable Market, Dominican square, Jacobs square, Capuchins square and Šilingrovo square. Based on individual characteristics, describing the emergence of morphological and functional changes in Brno square was created urban classification of basic types of square. City of Brno, as the capital city of region has a significant position in the structure of settlements. This fact has become one of the key aspects for the selection of examples of European cities and their squares. The second part of the thesis is based on comparative studies of different types of historical squares. In order to define the value of public spaces, it is necessary to look at the public places of historical perspective and deal with the causes that led to the decline of the importance and role of public spaces. Austrian capital cities of region (Graz, Linz, Klagenfurt and Salzburg) will be examined with regard to similar climatic conditions and a common cultural and historical context of the city. Based on urban patterns and graphic diagrams of each square are observed inner relationships between shapes of square, form, function and location of the position of an artwork. Research areas are also focused on comparing aspects of transport, green space, functional use, visual unit and social activities. The public space is shaped by a set of characteristics that promote diversity and interdependence of functions. For a better interpretation of the results have been established two benchmarks - symbol of identification with the place and the Magnet (function and filling space). The objective of the thesis is to define an aspects and elements of space which were involved in square use.