Measuring & modelling cities 7 provocations 2011 Urban Systems Symposium 11th May 2011 Tim Stonor t.stonor@spacesyntax.com @Tim_Stonor

1 Avoid complexity Complexity is confusing to clients & communities. Complexity means additional fees for developers & consultants.

Observe Explain Forecast Deliver Simple, graphic, user-oriented modelling

2 Modelling cities means more than modelling movement Cities are about transaction & not only about movement. Movement models have ruined the social & economic performance of cities by creating too much movement, insufficient exchange.

Build it and they will move But at what cost?

Focus on people not transport Trafalgar Square, London

3 Models are only as good as the theories that made them & the theories that guide their use Focus on city planning principles & not just modelling processes.

Urban planning principles 101 Cities aren’t about movement from A to B. Cities are about social & economic transaction between people moving at different scales.

Planning for transaction Multi-scale movement modelling Pedestrian movement Vehicle movement A single modelling environment

4 Success is easier to model than failure In successful cities, spatial accessibility, movement, land use, density & height are correlated. Broken cities are harder to model.

Planning for correlation Parametric urban modelling Manipulating spatial networks

5 Open source Open data Open standards Open access

6 Do not separate development from application Develop through application. Create feedback mechanisms between development & application. Expect failure.

UCL Space Syntax Laboratory Fundamental research Teaching Technology development Space Syntax Limited Strategic consulting Internship Technology development People Knowledge Questions Development & application A process of mutual exploitation

7 Urbanization is not a brutal fact but a beautiful & powerful opportunity …for creativity, innovation, industry & culture.

Tim Stonor architect & town planner @Tim_Stonor Managing Director, Space Syntax Limited Lincoln Loeb Fellow, Harvard University / Lincoln Institute www.wordpress.timstonor.com