An Urban Morphogenesis Model Capturing Interactions between Networks and Territories

Abstract

Urban systems are composed by complex couplings of several components, and more particularly between the built environment and transportation networks. Their interaction is involved in the emergence of the urban form. We propose in this chapter to introduce an approach to urban morphology grasping both aspects and their interaction. We first define complementary measures, study their empirical values and their spatial correlations on European territorial systems. The behavior of indicators and correlations suggest underlying non-stationary and multi-scalar processes. We then introduce a generative model of urban growth at a mesoscopic scale. Given a fixed exogenous growth rate, population is distributed following a preferential attachment depending on a potential controlled by the local urban form (density, distance to network) and network measures (centralities and generalized accessibilities), and then diffused in space to capture urban sprawl. Network growth is included through a multi-modeling paradigm: implemented heuristics include biological network generation and gravity potential breakdown. The model is calibrated both at the first (measures) and second (correlations) order, the later capturing indirectly relations between networks and territories.