ECOLOGICAL CORRIDORS’ MORPHOLOGY INSIDE THE URBAN STRUCTURE IN FORMING THE ENVIRONMENTAL FRAME OF THE CITY

Abstract

Ecological corridors are one of important parts of the city’s ecological framework. Usually, the ecological corridor is a valley of small rivers or ravine that cross the city and occupy substantial areas. Small rivers and ravines are inappropriate territories for development; consequently growing city ignores these territories. As a result, ecological corridors become neglected and abandoned. Historical analysis of the city plans of Perm discovered that the interaction of the valleys of small rivers with the surrounding urban areas has historically changed. There are several periods of these changes: development of the city on both banks of a small river, extensive use for gardening, degradation. The urban status of small rivers’ valleys is also changing. At the beginning it was the territory in the city’s periphery (1797), nowadays it is the ecological resource inside the city with the preserved ecosystem which is exposed to strong anthropogenic impact (2017). The understanding of identity and diversity of the territories adjoined to these ecological corridors and different options for their use could be the possibility for transformation and changing of the situation. This paper describes the typology of the territories forming the ecological corridors, the typology of the surrounding and adjacent buildings, and types of their interaction. All of these are defined through the natural survey and the analysis of urban codes and plans. The recommendations for each morphotype of the river valley and ravines which are located in different options in the urban structure depend on the different scales of design, urban situation, and greenery area typology. The results of the morphological analysis of elementary residential planning units of the modern city can be used for the prediction of their future development.