Ramon Gras Alomà, Aretian Urban Analytics and Design co-founder and Harvard researcher, recently presented the new Aretian book “City Science: Performance Follow Form” at the Camins College. In his presentation, Ramon showcased how by combining diverse disciplines such as urban planning, engineering, sociology, economics, environmental sustainability or data science, the Science of Cities is today a key element for understanding the functioning of cities, improving the quality of life of citizens, reducing environmental impact or generating wealth through economic activity. The new Aretian book delves into the key concepts and strategies that must be used to rethink the cities of the future.
Ramon Gras conducted this presentation with Anna Gener, economist and CEO of Savills Barcelona, Areti Markopoulou, architect, researcher, urban technologist, and Professor at IAAC in Barcelona, and Joan Burdeus, philosopher and journalist. The panelists discussed the trends that mark the future of the world's great cities and their potentialities as well as the weaknesses of Barcelona and the metropolitan area. As Aretian continues its work in the city of Barcelona and its surrounding cities, the novel City Science developed is extremely useful to provide insights and recommendations that have long-lasting and long-term benefits. These benefits are spread across different verticals such as infrastructures, livelihood, sustainability, innovation, economy and know-how. By understanding better how performance follows form, and most notably urban form, we can design better cities that truly embody what we want for our future generations.
The aforementioned book, “City Science: Performance Follows Form”, presents an extended study of 100 urban environments and metropolitan areas throughout the World, across 5 different continents. This study replicates in a three-dimensional manner the morphological features of cities and metropolitan areas, as well as the economic and human systems that inhabit them. This research allows us to compare and contrast - in terms of urban performance - not only the quality of the architectural and urban design characteristics and civil engineering infrastructures, but also the impact that those systems have on the quality of life of citizens. This book answers some of the most crucial questions in modern urbanism such as: to what extent are cities able to provide 15-minute city standards? How are cities able to provide and shape a prosperous knowledge economy? As well as a good and efficient intermodal mobility and transportation system? Among other critical topics involving sustainable urban development.
You can buy the Aretian book HERE.
Watch the full event HERE.
Please subscribe to Aretian Urban Analytics and Design for more news about the future of cities and the novel City Science.
