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A geospatial analysis of the influence of landscape and climate on the location of Greek vernacular settlements using GIS

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Abstract

A core argument of several studies that focus on Greek vernacular settlements is that climate and landscape had a significant impact on their spatial distribution and growth. For the majority of these studies, this argument is primarily underpinned by qualitative observations at the geographical scale or by detailed microscale analyses of specific case studies. A nationwide analysis of the relation of vernacular settlement locations with key environmental factors has not yet been conducted in Greece. The present study seeks to cover this research gap by adopting a geospatial analysis approach. It utilises Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to relate the location of Greek vernacular settlements with the sea, the sun, the wind and the local geomorphology. The results of the study provide valuable insight on these relations and ultimately support the argument of the environmental responsiveness of vernacular settlements with quantitative data.

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  1. Department of Architecture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54 124, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Aristotelis Vartholomaios

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Vartholomaios, A. A geospatial analysis of the influence of landscape and climate on the location of Greek vernacular settlements using GIS. Appl Geomat 11, 197–213 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12518-019-00254-x

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