International Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability

International Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability

Typological Analysis of Informal Settlements for Developing Climate-Responsive Architectural Indicators: An Integrated Fuzzy Delphi–FAHP Approach

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Aliaskar Jamshidi Zardak
Mohammad Parva
Khosro Movahed
Department of Architecture, Shi.C., Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
10.22034/ijumes.2026.2079165.1350
Abstract
Rapid urbanization and the expansion of informal settlements have intensified the need for analytical frameworks that move beyond descriptive approaches toward operational architectural evaluation. This study aims to formulate and prioritize architectural indicators for informal settlements through an analytical typological approach that integrates expert consensus with multi-criteria decision-making. The research adopts a mixed-methods analytical design grounded in a pragmatic paradigm, combining theoretical review with empirical evaluation. Initially, key architectural dimensions, Form, Space, Materials, and Spatial Organization, were extracted through literature-based typological analysis. Primary data were then collected from a purposively selected panel of architects, urban planners, and academic specialists using structured Likert-scale questionnaires. A four-round Fuzzy Delphi process was applied to refine and validate influential factors, followed by the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to determine the relative weight of final indicators. The findings demonstrate a progressive convergence of expert consensus, resulting in five prioritized indicators: Physical Stability, Spatial Legibility, Physical Safety, Social Interaction, and Functional Accessibility. Among these, Physical Stability achieved the highest weight, highlighting its foundational role in improving informal settlement environments, while socio-spatial factors such as Social Interaction emphasized the importance of human-centered design. The integrated Delphi–FAHP framework reveals that architectural upgrading strategies in informal contexts require a balanced synthesis of structural resilience, spatial clarity, safety, and accessibility rather than isolated technical interventions. Overall, the study contributes a structured and climate-responsive analytical model that bridges typological understanding with quantitative prioritization, offering practical guidance for architects, planners, and policymakers engaged in the sustainable transformation of informal settlements.

Graphical Abstract

Typological Analysis of Informal Settlements for Developing Climate-Responsive Architectural Indicators: An Integrated Fuzzy Delphi–FAHP Approach

Highlights

• Rapid urbanization and the growth of informal settlements demand analytical frameworks that move beyond descriptive approaches toward operational architectural evaluation.

• This study formulates and prioritizes architectural indicators through a typological analytical approach combined with expert consensus and multi-criteria decision-making.

• A mixed-methods design integrating literature-based typological analysis, a four-round Fuzzy Delphi process, and FAHP weighting was employed to refine and rank key indicators.

• The results identified five prioritized indicators, Physical Stability, Spatial Legibility, Physical Safety, Social Interaction, and Functional Accessibility with Physical Stability receiving the highest weight.

• The integrated Delphi–FAHP framework proposes a climate-responsive analytical model that supports balanced architectural upgrading strategies for informal settlements.

Keywords
Architectural indicators
Fuzzy Delphi&ndash
FAHP
informal settlements
spatial legibility
typological analysis
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International Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 26 February 2026

  • Receive Date 28 November 2025
  • Revise Date 23 January 2026
  • Accept Date 26 February 2026