Urban Morphology Through the Lens of Saturation and Collapse: Applying Manafi’s SEA

Abstract

Urban morphology provides a critical framework for understanding the spatial structure of cities and the processes through which urban form evolves over time. While traditional morphological schools have examined the persistence of town plans, the transformation of building types, and the configurational logic of spatial networks, fewer studies have interpreted these processes through a systemic model of urban thresholds and structural limits. Manafi’s theory of saturation and the associated Collapse (SEA) model (Manafi, 2025, 2026) introduce such a perspective by conceptualizing urban systems as dynamic entities that move through phases of consolidation, saturation, and reorganization. Beyond a descriptive framework, the SEA model also functions as an analytical and predictive tool, proposing that collapse occur when the balance between stability, efficiency, and adaptability is disrupted. Because these three dimensions operate across multiple scales, the model has potential applications in diverse fields, including urban planning, infrastructure systems, environmental studies, and socio-spatial analysis.

This research investigates how the SEA model can be used as both a meta-framework and an interpretative tool for re-examining the principal schools of urban morphology. It aims to explore how the model helps identify moments at which urban structures reach their functional or spatial limits, and how it explains the mechanisms through which urban systems reorganize after these thresholds are reached. By applying the SEA perspective to established morphological traditions, the study seeks to demonstrate how saturation and collapse can be understood not only as crises but also as drivers of spatial transformation. Through this linkage between morphological theory and systemic urban dynamics, the research contributes to a more integrative understanding of urban change and highlights the relevance of SEA-informed analysis for contemporary planning and urban design practice.