Social Critique and Design in the Face of Multiple Crises: Directions for Urban Morphology

The current moment can with some confidence be described both generally and in the specific terminology of urban morphology as one of crisis. Environmental, social and economic certitudes and habits are being ‘disrupted’ in a variety of ways, forcing us to revaluate and recalibrate our purposes and aims along with the range of means by which we might achieve them. Of the three dimensions of the crisis, urban morphology has tended, understandably, to focus on the physical-environmental. And while there is a strong sociological thread within the French school of urban morphology and an increasing number of articles have more recently focused on social sustainability and liveability in relation to urban form, discussion of the social dimension of urban morphology has been relatively dormant and muted. This is particularly true with regard to social critique. In the context of the current crisis (or crises) and the increasing internationalization of education and practice in urbanism, this chapter explores directions for the application of urban morphology and, in particular, the typological process, to social critique and design. Making reference to both theoretical investigations and the case of ‘house building culture’ in the UK, the aim of the chapter is to extend the scope and sharpen the focus of urban morphology on the socio-cultural dimension. How do we account for, and potentially remedy, the entrenchment of house building culture and the lack of diversity in the patterns of new housing developments? How do we best apply urban morphological tools to a critical analysis that can find a way forward to recalibrate the process and generate solutions that are adapted to deal with current crises?