This article is a contribution to the discussion on the development of urban peripheries in mountainous environments. The study was performed around the city of Manizales, Colombia, following a three-phase methodology: structure, form and function, starting from physical and social components in order to define peri-urban dwelling. The result is the description of a series of habitat units called “holon”, neighborhoods situated in peripherical and suburban areas of Manizales, which, when studied together, prove socio-spatial fragmentation. This article contributes to the understanding of urban growth patterns in the coffee-growing region of Colombia. Its methodology is applicable to socio-spatial studies on habitat, local urban policies on environmental management, planning of urban expansion and physical and social risk management