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Agents, Cells, and Cities: New Representational Models for Simulating Multiscale Urban Dynamics

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  • Michael Batty

    (Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London, 1–19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, England)

Abstract

New forms of representation at a fine spatial scale, in which units of space are conceived as cells and populations as individual agents, are currently changing the way we are able to simulate the evolution of cities. In this paper I show how these new approaches are consistent with traditional urban models that have gone before, with the emphasis no longer being on spatial interaction but on development dynamics and local movement. I first introduce ideas about urban simulation based on spatial evolution as reaction and diffusion, showing how problems conceived in terms of cells and/or agents enable new implementations of this generic model. I sketch the rudiments of cellular automata which emphasise rules for development transition, and agent-based models which focus on how individuals respond to environmental attributes encoded in cellular landscapes. I illustrate these exemplars through models of residential location. Three applications are then presented at very different spatial scales: pedestrian movement at the building scale, the evolution of systems of cities at a regional scale, and urban growth at the city scale. I conclude with proposals that formal policy analysis in this domain should always be informed by more than one approach.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Batty, 2005. "Agents, Cells, and Cities: New Representational Models for Simulating Multiscale Urban Dynamics," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 37(8), pages 1373-1394, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:37:y:2005:i:8:p:1373-1394
    DOI: 10.1068/a3784
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Brian J. L. Berry, 1964. "Cities As Systems Within Systems Of Cities," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(1), pages 147-163, January.
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    Cited by:

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    9. Lang, Wei & Long, Ying & Chen, Tingting & Li, Xun, 2019. "Reinvestigating China’s urbanization through the lens of allometric scaling," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 525(C), pages 1429-1439.
    10. Nick Malleson & Wouter Steenbeek & Martin A Andresen, 2019. "Identifying the appropriate spatial resolution for the analysis of crime patterns," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(6), pages 1-23, June.
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    12. Zhou, Mingzhi & Zhou, Jiangping, 2024. "Multiscalar trip resilience and metro station-area characteristics: A case study of Hong Kong amid the pandemic," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    13. Juste Raimbault & Clémentine Cottineau & Marion Le Texier & Florent Le Nechet & Romain Reuillon, 2019. "Space Matters: Extending Sensitivity Analysis to Initial Spatial Conditions in Geosimulation Models," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 22(4), pages 1-10.
    14. Nick Malleson & Andrew Evans & Tony Jenkins, 2009. "An Agent-Based Model of Burglary," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 36(6), pages 1103-1123, December.
    15. An, Li, 2012. "Modeling human decisions in coupled human and natural systems: Review of agent-based models," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 25-36.
    16. Arend Ligtenberg & Adrie Beulens & Dik Kettenis & Arnold K Bregt & Monica Wachowicz, 2009. "Simulating Knowledge Sharing in Spatial Planning: An Agent-Based Approach," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 36(4), pages 644-663, August.
    17. Yong Yang & Peter M Atkinson, 2008. "Individual Space – Time Activity-Based Model: A Model for the Simulation of Airborne Infectious-Disease Transmission by Activity-Bundle Simulation," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 35(1), pages 80-99, February.
    18. D'Acci, Luca, 2013. "A Modern Postmodern Urbanism The Systemic Retroactive game (SyR) between Bottom-up and Top-down," MPRA Paper 48991, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Bodini, Antonio & Bondavalli, Cristina & Allesina, Stefano, 2012. "Cities as ecosystems: Growth, development and implications for sustainability," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 245(C), pages 185-198.
    20. Bernardo Alves Furtado & Dick Ettema & Ricardo Machado Ruiz & Jelle Hurkens & Hedwig van Delden, 2012. "A Cellular Automata Intraurban Model with Prices and Income-Dif Erentiated Actors," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 39(5), pages 897-924, October.
    21. Yuan Gao & Chuanrong Zhang & Qingsong He & Yaolin Liu, 2017. "Urban Ecological Security Simulation and Prediction Using an Improved Cellular Automata (CA) Approach—A Case Study for the City of Wuhan in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-20, June.

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