Abstract
In this paper, we aim at exploring how individual location decisions affect the shape of a growing city and, more precisely, how they may add up to a configuration that diverges from equilibrium configurations formulated ex-ante. To do so, we provide a two-sector city model merging a static equilibrium analysis with agent-based simulations. Results show that under strong agglomeration effects, urban development is monotonic and ends up with circular, monocentric long-term configurations. For low agglomeration effects however, elongated and multicentric urban configurations may emerge. The occurrence and underlying dynamics of these configurations are also discussed regarding commuting costs and the distance-decay of agglomeration economies between firms. To sum up, our paper warns urban planning policy makers against the difference that may stand between appropriate long-term perspectives, represented here by analytic equilibrium configurations, and short-term urban configurations, simulated here by a multi-agent system.
Highlights
Around the year 2007, the share of world population living in urban areas went over 50% and it is still growing today [1, 2] On the one hand, this growth partly occurs within existing urban regions, making them denser and denser [3]
We present a model aiming at characterizing the morphology of a simulated, exogenously growing city to see whether it diverges or not from associated static equilibrium configurations
Our model of urban morphogenesis of a two-sector city with heterogeneous mobility under exogenous population growth shows that urban development is stable and ends up with more homogeneous long-term configurations under strong agglomeration effects
Summary
Around the year 2007, the share of world population living in urban areas went over 50% and it is still growing today [1, 2] On the one hand, this growth partly occurs within existing urban regions, making them denser and denser [3]. On the other hand, undeveloped lands are converted to urban areas. This may happen through suburbanization [4], or through the deliberate creation of new cities in low-density regions. New brownfield renewals have started in United Kingdoms, like in Bicester [6], and were proposed in Belgium [7]. Some of these projects failed to attract people, recalling planning rules should coincide with individual aspirations to achieve urban development [8]. PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0135871 August 26, 2015
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
