I have been experimenting with the World Settlement
Footprint 3D (WSF-3D) dataset to explore what Kerala’s settlement structure
looks like when we move to look at built volume.
Using QGIS, I processed the global WSF-3D data, clipped it
to Kerala, and classified the resulting raster to produce this map of building
volume intensity.
Each pixel in the map represents roughly 90 m × 90 m on the
ground. The value associated with that pixel reflects the estimated volume of
built structures within that space, combining information on both building
height and building footprint density derived from satellite observations.
Higher values therefore indicate areas where buildings are taller
and more densely concentrated, while lower values correspond to more dispersed
or low-rise settlements.
The map hints at a practical planning challenge: Kerala’s
risk, infrastructure demand, and service catchments don’t align neatly with a
few municipal boundaries. Built intensity behaves like a state-scale system,
which is why corridor-level mobility, drainage, housing, and hazard planning
often matter as much as city-level projects. Such spatial signatures suggest
that Kerala’s urbanisation operates as a networked regional system,
where infrastructure, mobility, and economic flows shape settlement intensity.
Data source: DLR World Settlement Footprint 3D (WSF-3D)
Map processing and visualisation: Ajith Vyas Venugopalan
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