In a groundbreaking study that bridges continents and disciplines, researchers have developed a data-driven framework to compare urban forms across distinct cities, offering valuable insights for sustainable urban planning and the energy sector. The research, led by Arthur Carmès from the Engineering and Technology for Human-Oriented Sustainability (ETHOS) Lab at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), was recently published in the journal *Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives*, which translates to *Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives* in English.
Cities are complex organisms, shaped by their history, culture, and geography. Understanding their forms is crucial for enhancing quality of life and planning sustainable urban and transportation systems. Carmès and his team set out to compare the urban forms of Lausanne, Switzerland, and Philadelphia, USA, using open-source geospatial data from OpenStreetMap. They extracted multidimensional features related to network structure, multimodality, green spaces, and points of interest, dividing each city into Basic Spatial Units (BSUs) and applying Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM) to cluster these units based on their urban characteristics.
The results were revealing. Despite the differences in scale, density, and cultural context between Lausanne and Philadelphia, the study identified coherent and interpretable urban forms within each city, with some cluster types emerging across both. “We found that adapting the grid size to each city’s forms improves the detection of shared typologies,” Carmès explained. “This suggests the presence of functionally convergent urban forms across continents.”
The study also demonstrated that simplified clustering based solely on network degree centrality can capture meaningful structural patterns. This finding could have significant implications for the energy sector, particularly in urban planning and infrastructure development. By understanding the structural patterns of cities, energy providers can better plan and distribute resources, improving efficiency and sustainability.
Moreover, the framework developed by Carmès and his team offers a scalable and transferable approach for urban analysis and transportation planning. This could lead to enhanced walkability, accessibility, and well-being in cities, benefiting both residents and businesses. “Our findings provide valuable insights for planners and policymakers aiming to enhance various aspects of cities,” Carmès noted.
The research also highlights the importance of spatial scale in cross-city comparisons, a factor that could influence future urban development and energy planning. By understanding the unique forms and structures of cities, stakeholders can make more informed decisions, leading to more sustainable and livable urban environments.
While the study acknowledges limitations related to data completeness and feature selection, it paves the way for future work, including the integration of additional data sources and human-centered validation. As cities continue to grow and evolve, the insights gained from this research could shape the future of urban planning and the energy sector, driving innovation and sustainability.
In an era where urbanization and climate change are pressing global challenges, this research offers a beacon of hope and a roadmap for creating more sustainable, efficient, and livable cities. By harnessing the power of data and technology, we can unlock the secrets of urban forms and pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable future.