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Socio-Economic impacts of the Grand Paris Express

The Urban Morphology and Complex Systems Institute develops an integrated sustainable urban planning approach based on urban morphology and science of complexity of cities. It provides science-based expertise in urban planning & design, urban assessment and urban development strategies. It delivers comprehensive advice to United Nations.

UNDERSTANDING URBAN COMPLEXITY IS KEY

Cities are complex self-organized systems with emerging properties and mathematical regularities. The institute models cities as large complex eco-systems. Its cutting-edge methods and algorithms reveal the fundamental links between urban form and the social, economic and environmental performance of cities.

URBAN FORM MATTERS

The Urban Morphology Institute provides tools and methods to quantify the impact of urban form on:

  • Energy consumptions and carbon emissions
  • Urban resilience
  • Transportation patterns
  • Infrastructure costs and economic productivity
  • Land use & land value

URBAN DESIGN & PLACE MAKING

To reap the full benefits of transit oriented development, delivering well designed urban forms is key, with walkable neighborhoods around mass transit hubs and nodes, and with a dense mix of housing, retail, offices and other amenities. The Institute develops an innovative approach of urban design and planning that creates vibrant urban environments and high quality public space for people and fosters not only transit, but the most basic modes of transport such as walking and cycling.

URBAN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

The Urban Morphology Institute designs guidelines and strategies to assist United Nations in meeting their targets in the field of sustainable urban development. It is specialized in integrated strategies deriving the maximum co-benefits from spatial planning. It works closely with IPCC, UN Habitat, UN Environment, and UN International Resource Panel.

OUR URBAN SUSTAINABILITY APPROACH

Our strength rests upon cutting-edge scientific methods and algorithms that reveal unseen patterns within cities and better inform decision-making processes.

Our quantitative approach is a key asset:

  • Providing a science-based understanding of context-specific issues and available options for urban development
  • Implementing simulations and scenarios to predict the potential outcomes of today’s decisions
  • Indentifying tipping points and most powerful levers towards sustainability
  • Predicting environmental, economic and social long terms impacts of urban planning decisions, and proposing alternative scenarios

 

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4 urban forms