The Future of Urban Modelling

Abstract

The future of urban modelling is viewed first against a background of its fifty-decade history. The effects of increased computing power and the availability of new data sources are explored, particularly through a wider range of scales and applications – illustrated by global scales and applications as wide-ranging as defence and security and history and archaeology. The challenges of making models fully dynamic are articulated along with a recent development which introduces uncertainty into dynamic urban models through a potential function. Finally, the potential for more effective deployment of models in city planning is shown with a system that combines data assembly, modelling and interactive planning.