Decoding Morphological Intelligence: A Systematic Review of Climate-Adaptive Forms and Mechanisms in Traditional Settlements

Traditional settlements exhibit remarkable climatic adaptability, representing a form of “Morphological Intelligence” developed over centuries. However, this inherent, physics-based wisdom remains underutilized in contemporary urban planning and design. This systematic review aims to decode such intelligence by analyzing the relationship between the morphological characteristics of traditional settlements and their thermal performance. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, literature retrieval and evaluation were conducted via the databases of Web of Science, Scopus, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) for articles published during 2004~2024. A total of 82 related articles with available full texts were selected from 1227 records for in-depth analysis, including peer-reviewed journal articles and reputable conference publications. This study first presents an overview of bibliometric and methodological landscapes, revealing that research is increasingly concentrated in Asia’s tropical and subtropical climates, predominantly employing case studies and computational simulations. Secondly, we synthesize a few key climate-adaptive morphological features across macro- (e.g., settlement layout), meso- (e.g., street canyon geometry), and microscales (e.g., courtyards). The findings illustrate a reliance on methods and metrics developed for modern urban contexts, which could not fully capture the specific morphological characteristics of traditional settlements. Most importantly, this study summarizes four core principles of “Morphological Intelligence” in traditional settlements, i.e., strategic solar control, facilitated natural ventilation, use of thermal mass, and integration of natural elements and creation of thermal buffer zones. By identifying the limitations of existing investigations, this study highlights a few directions for future studies, including conducting more systematic multi-scalar integrated analysis, focusing on the development of dedicated quantitative metrics and analytical frameworks, delving into more mechanism-oriented investigation, assessing morphological resilience under urbanization, and translating principles into contemporary design guidelines. This study provides a foundational framework for translating the “Morphological Intelligence” of traditional settlements into actionable, evidence-based strategies for resilient and energy-efficient urban planning and design amidst climate change.