Urban Form and Social Space (UFSS) Research Group

Description

The Urban Form and Social Space (UFSS) research group is a team of experts that conducts research on the production and transformation of the built environment, with a particular focus on the social and political dynamics of design and planning. The UFSS group covers a broad range of areas of expertise, including urban morphology, spatial representation, urban regeneration, critical heritage, everyday urbanism, and transit-oriented urban developments. The group has several postgraduate students who are undertaking research in these areas, and they actively engage in research-led teaching, contributing their expertise to both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in the school.

UFSS members have conducted research in various contexts, such as China, the UK, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia, and have established strong collaborations with local institutions and stakeholders in these places. The diverse contexts provide rich urban phenomena and sources of data for the group to test key urban theories, explore design and planning interventions, and contribute to place-making and debates on social justice. The UFSS group uses a range of research methodologies, from traditional qualitative and quantitative methods to cutting-edge digital tools and data sciences. The research outcomes have been widely published in books, international peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, and various media outlets.

The UFSS group's research is impact-driven in nature, and the members are active in public engagement, consultancy, and providing training for design and planning industrial groups and local authorities. Collaborations with non-academic organizations, professionals, policy-makers, and the public are welcome to generate positive impact in society.

The UFSS group is a friendly and energetic team that consists of academic staff, postgraduate students, and visiting scholars. The group welcomes postgraduate applications at both the doctoral and master levels, and they encourage applicants who hold an educational background in architecture, urban planning, human geography, or sociology. They also welcome researchers whose interests complement their strengths, adding an interdisciplinary perspective. Researchers focusing on a wide range of topics are encouraged to apply, including urban morphology and cultural practice, Chinese urbanism, transnational application of urban design theory and principles, urban design for conservation and regeneration, design governance, public space production, design, use and management, politics and place, immigrants urbanism, critical heritage, place-making and community engagement, flexible and transportable architecture, infrastructure development and wellbeing, the representation of architects and architecture in print media, and the culture of architectural competitions, rationalism and neo-rationalism.

Offers funding

No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

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University affiliation(s)

University of Liverpool
Liverpool