The information architecture of cities

L. Andrew Coward, Nikos A. Salingaros*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

25 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Cities can be viewed as information architecture systems. Here, 'architecture' is used in the sense of computer architecture - it refers not to the design of buildings, but to how the components of a complex system interact. Information exchange includes the movement of people and goods, personal contact and interactions, telecommunications, as well as visual input from the environment. Information networks provide a basis for understanding living cities and for diagnosing urban problems. This paper argues that a city works less like an electronic computer, and more like the human brain. As a functionally complex system, it heuristically defines its own functionality by changing connections so as to optimize how components interact. An effective city will be one with a system architecture that can respond to changing conditions. This analysis shifts the focus of understanding cities from their physical structure to the flow of information.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)107-118
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Information Science
Volume30
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2004
Externally publishedYes

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