Mixed-use contextualized: understanding the spatial characteristics of mixed-use in Kansas City, MO

The mixed-use concept in urban design and planning has become one of the most prevalent principles in the field. Mixed-use is considered “an unquestionable spatial virtue” that provides benefits such as social diversity, safety, public health, and environmental and economic sustainability. However, empirical findings that fully describe the mixed-use concept in relation to its morphological implementation in planning practices are lacking. The present research acknowledges the importance of understanding the morphological context in mixed-use development, and it provides a methodology for assessing various patterns of mixed-use in relation to the urban form characteristics. This research employed factor and cluster analysis to understand mixed land use spatial patterns, as well as developed a typology of mixed-use spatial patterns for 105 block groups in Kansas City, Missouri. Based on the results, this study reviews urban design and planning strategies that can help contextualize the mixed-use spatial patterns for sustainable and localized mixed-use development.