typological analysis of informal settlements for developing climate-responsive architectural indicators: an integrated fuzzy delphi–fahp approach

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.