Evolution in urban morphology: Examining the drivers of change in medieval towns in the low countries

This research presents empirical evidence from medieval cities, demonstrating that the critical junctures and the punctuated equilibrium theory of urban dynamics accurately reflect the patterns of urban morphological change, explaining how even stable urban morphologies can undergo sudden, discontinuous transformations.
By comparing the evolution of urban forms in medieval cities of the Low Countries, we aim to identify both the similarities and differences in their morphological evolutions and to uncover the drivers of change underlying these processes. Additionally, our model has been applied to other medieval cities to assess the generalizability of our findings, ensuring that the results are consistent and applicable beyond the specific cases studied. The results indicate that, in all medieval cities that experienced sudden changes, there were specific tipping points triggered by socio-political and economic events that significantly impacted urban morphological changes. This leads to the conclusion that such critical junctures play a pivotal role in shaping the evolution of urban forms, demonstrating that urban morphology is not only the result of gradual processes but is also subject to abrupt, transformative shifts driven by external influences. These findings underscore the importance of considering both continuity and discontinuity in understanding the complex dynamics of urban evolution.