GIS - Open Source
In the QGIS Urban Morphology course, you’ll learn how to analyze and visualize the shape, structure, and density of urban areas in QGIS without any programming. You’ll work with specialized plugins such as MORPHINT and MorphAL to calculate morphological indicators, such as building density, compactness, open space, and spatial structure.
Would you like to learn how to analyze and visualize the shape, structure, and density of cities using geographic data—without having to program? In the QGIS Urban Morphology course, you’ll learn how to independently investigate and compare urban patterns using QGIS. You’ll discover how urban form analysis helps in understanding and justifying spatial decisions, especially at a time when new homes are being built on a large scale in the Netherlands.
QGIS is a powerful open-source GIS platform for analyzing and visualizing geographic data. In this course, you’ll build on your basic QGIS skills and learn to work with specialized plugins for urban morphology. You’ll work with tools such as MORPHINT (for density, intensity, and spatial indicators) and MorphAL (for morphological analysis of urban structures). You’ll learn how these tools quantify urban characteristics and how to use them effectively in spatial analysis.
Urban morphology in QGIS goes beyond simply viewing buildings on a map. You’ll learn how to analyze building patterns, open space, compactness, and spatial cohesion, and how to compare different urban typologies. In doing so, you’ll combine data analysis with cartographic visualization to gain a better understanding of how cities are structured and how they can become more compact or expand.
In the QGIS Urban Morphology course, you’ll link your analysis directly to current issues. Whether you’re working on housing projects, densification, restructuring, livability, or spatial planning—this course shows you how to apply urban form analysis in a practical and evidence-based way within QGIS, without writing a single line of code.
You’ll work with open-source software, follow a hands-on approach, and develop skills that are immediately applicable in realistic planning and design scenarios. The content is technically detailed but clearly explained and focused on both understanding and application.
Please note! Basic knowledge of QGIS is a prerequisite for this training. If you do not have this knowledge, we recommend the QGIS Basic Course.
In this course, you’ll learn step by step how to analyze urban structures using GIS. You’ll start with the basics: what urban morphology is, which spatial indicators are used, and how urban form relates to density and land use.
You’ll then get hands-on experience with:
Through clear explanations and hands-on exercises, you’ll learn how to correctly interpret urban morphological analyses and apply them in analysis and communication.
This course makes urban form analysis accessible to GIS users. While urban morphology often remains theoretical, this course shows you how to use QGIS and plugins to generate measurable and comparable insights.
You’ll learn, among other things:
The course is designed for practical and independent learning, with a strong focus on applicability in the Dutch spatial context.
This course is intended for GIS users working on urban development and housing issues. Do you work in urban planning, urban design, housing, infrastructure, research, policy, or education? Then this course offers direct added value.
You do not need any programming knowledge, but you do need a basic understanding of QGIS. Have you already worked with geographic data and do you want to better support urban densification, expansion, and housing development with data? Then QGIS Urban Morphology is a logical next step.
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Contact usOn Day 1, you’ll lay the conceptual and technical foundation for analyzing urban morphology in QGIS. You’ll be introduced to the core concepts of urban morphology, such as building structure, density, open space, and urban typologies. The course focuses on the Dutch context, where urban densification and large-scale housing development play a central role.
You’ll gain hands-on experience preparing and analyzing urban datasets, such as buildings, parcels, and blocks. Using MORPHINT, you’ll learn how to calculate and visualize urban density and intensity indicators. You’ll also be introduced to MorphAL for analyzing the morphological characteristics of urban structures.
By the end of Day 1, you’ll be able to:
On Day 2, the focus shifts to interpretation and application. You’ll learn how to use morphological indicators to compare urban areas and how to apply analyses to issues related to housing development, densification, and restructuring.
You’ll conduct comparative analyses of different neighborhoods, cities, or scenarios and learn how urban form relates to land use and development potential. In doing so, you’ll focus on using data to support decisions in spatial planning and housing development. You’ll translate the results into clear maps and visualizations suitable for policy, design, and communication.
By the end of Day 2, you’ll be able to:
Do you have questions about the course content? Or are you unsure whether the course aligns with your learning goals or preferences? Would you prefer an in-house or private course? We’d be happy to help.
Urban morphology can help identify where densification is possible and where expansion is logical or spatially desirable. By analyzing density, open space, and urban structure, QGIS Urban Morphology helps inform decisions regarding the major housing development plans the Netherlands will undertake in the coming years.
Yes. The course is well-suited to the day-to-day work of municipalities, provinces, and regions involved in developing environmental visions, housing plans, and area development. The analytical methods can be applied to Dutch datasets such as buildings, neighborhoods, and CBS areas.
Absolutely. You’ll learn how to analyze and compare existing urban structures so that you can assess where densification is spatially feasible and where restructuring or transformation holds promise within the Dutch context.
The course is particularly well-suited for applications such as residential development sites, inner-city densification, the redevelopment of industrial parks, station areas, and expansion districts. Urban morphology also offers concrete added value for policy analysis and the justification of spatial decisions.
Yes, a basic knowledge of QGIS is required. You can also take the basic QGIS training course at Geo-ICT.
