What is the best shape of a city

Abstract

Urban form plays a crucial role in shaping transportation patterns, accessibility, energy consumption, and more. Our study examines the relationship between urban form and transportation energy use by developing a parametric model that simulates city structures and their impact on travel distances. We explore various urban morphologies, including sprawling, elongated, compact, and vertically concentrated cities, and consider five urban profiles: "needle," "pyramid," "pancake," "bowl," and "ring." We designed an interactive visualisation and calculator that enables the analysis of these effects, providing insights into the impact of various urban configurations. Our model quantifies the average commuting distances associated with these forms, demonstrating that compact and centrally dense cities minimise the total travel distance in cities.