Book review: The Computable City: Histories, Technologies, Stories, Predictions

Michael Batty, The Computable City: Histories, Technologies, Stories, Predictions, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2024; 544 pp. ISBN: 9780262547574, US $45.00/£35.15 (pbk), ISBN: 9780262377843, US $31.99/£24.98 (eBook).

By the year 2050, everything around us will be some form of computer. Already, we are seeing a massive convergence of computers and communications through various forms of media … As planners, we are accustomed to using computers to advance our science and art but it would appear that the city itself is turning into a constellation of computers. The implications of this for city planning are enormous.

– The Computable City (Batty, 1997: 155)

Advances in computer technology are significant causes of social inequality, economic disparity, environmental pollution, climate change, and geopolitical instability while driving innovations in the economy and regional security. Cities are directly or indirectly affected by these multifaceted impacts as hubs of technological advancement, becoming increasingly complex across economic, social, environmental, and technological dimensions. In The Computable City (1997), Mike Batty anticipated the future of urban systems as ‘a constellation of computers’ that is shaped by advanced computing models of the city. Twenty-seven years later, as a leading figure in the field of urban complex systems and a living witness of history, he has published The Computable City: Histories, Technologies, Stories, Predictions (2024), which reflects on the profound changes and impacts on urban spaces and systems driven by innovations in digital technology. The central focus of the book is to analyse the historical integration of digital technologies in urban contexts, including exploring how digital computers and communication technologies have enabled the reconfiguration and reinterpretation of cities within complex virtual spaces that interact with physical environments. To systematically explain the evolving relationship between technology and the city, the book sheds light on the complexity and growth changes of the city by categorising four different aspects into large sections: computer, city, model, and planning. The book opens with a guide tracing the origins and key historical milestones of the computable city, which integrates the concepts of smart cities, information cities, and virtual cities. This will allow readers to envision how ‘information’, ‘connectivity’, and ‘innovation’ in computer technology have addressed significant milestones globally, extending far beyond the UK and the US. Batty seeks to elucidate this transformation, highlighting the unpredictable nature of technological advancements and their profound impact on the geometry of the city and urban computation.

The first part – ‘Computers and Information’ – offers an in-depth exploration of how the modern digital computer and internet were developed through the telegraph and telephone age, the industrial and the information revolution. It initiates the second chapter, ‘The Informatic Mile’, sketching the historical roots of information technology in British scientists and mathematicians such as Michael Faraday, James Clerk Maxwell and Alan Turing in London to trace how ‘information became at the heart of the city since it first appeared’ (pp.24–25). The next chapter, ‘Turing’s Legacy’, explores the life of Alan Turing and his monumental achievements during World War II, including the development of the Bombe machine for deciphering Enigma codes. Batty connects Turing’s concept of the Universal Machine, a pivotal moment in computer history, to its practical implications that have shaped modern computing. In addition to celebrating Turing’s genius, the book also pays homage to other key scientists of the time who made significant contributions to computer development within a broader historical and technological context. Moving on to the ‘PC Revolution’, Batty examines how the hierarchically dominant platform evolved into the modern personal computer that greatly enhanced functionality, accessibility, and impact. Inevitably it deals with influential figures who drove this transformation, as Bill Gates of Microsoft and Thomas J. Watson Jr of IBM are covered. Then, the ‘Networks: The Final Piece of the Jigsaw’ chapter details the essential role of networks in the computable city in order to highlight how the integration of communication networks with computing technologies has created a highly interconnected and dynamic urban landscape. His discussion on the rise of global networks and the subsequent information explosion is particularly compelling, providing a clear understanding of how interconnectedness has reshaped modern cities. Here, he once again emphasises the purpose of the book is to provide ‘the context to speculating on what this world will be like with respect to cities and information technology by the end of this current century’ (p.102).

The second part, ‘Cities and Urbanization’, masterfully blends historical narratives with forward-looking analyses to explore the evolution of cities driven by the transformation of space – physical to cyber – through information technology. The Standard Model (von Thünen, [1826]1966) by Johann Heinrich von Thünen (Ozkul, 2015) is introduced as a foundational concept in economic geography and regional economics in the sixth chapter, along with the model by Alonso (1964). This model provides a clear theoretical framework for understanding land use and agricultural patterns within a simplified, isolated system. Batty then discusses the impact of von Thünen’s economic logic, integrating key concepts such as Adam Smith’s market forces and specialisation, David Ricardo’s comparative advantage and rent theory, and Alfred Marshall’s industry localisation and economies of scale. Through the chapters ‘The Death of Distance’ (Cairncross, 1995, 1997) and ‘Building Cyberspace’, Batty delves into the diminishing significance of geographical distance due to digital connectivity. Profoundly reconfigured changes from von Thünen’s theory posit that advancements in information technology are transforming economic and social functions by reducing the relevance of physical proximity. New technologies have blurred traditional boundaries, enabling activities that were once location-dependent to be conducted from virtually anywhere. In response to these changes, in which cities become increasingly integrated with digital networks to become ‘smart’ and ‘computable’, Batty emphasises the importance of understanding both the physical layout and the digital topology of cities to fully grasp their functionality and evolution. In this complex modern era, we must keep asking: How we can achieve a seamless blend of physical and digital infrastructures, making cities more efficient, resilient, and adaptable to future challenges? Finally, ‘High- And Low-Frequency Cities’ introduces the concept of urban rhythms and the dual nature of modern cities based on Batty’s previous analyses (Batty, 2013, 2018; Batty et al., 2012) such as Inventing Future Cities that covers the science of smart cities including how cities operate across different frequencies of change, from the slow evolution of built environments (low-frequency) to the rapid, real-time adjustments enabled by smart technologies (high-frequency).

In the third part, ‘Models and Computation’ builds upon the transformative journey of urban simulation models, from their early development in traditional scientific computation aimed at enhancing our understanding and predictions of city functions, to the enrichment brought by computer graphics and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Through ‘Simulation, Modeling, and Prediction’, Batty starts with analysing the input-output analysis developed by Wassily Leontief (Lahiri, 2000) that significantly influenced urban modelling by providing a framework for understanding economic relationships and resource allocation within cities. Additionally, he examines the evolution of urban models, how these models eventually paved the way for sophisticated urban planning tools, with Jay Forrester’s (1969) urban dynamics model, which is innovative but controversial. Despite its lack of spatial context and reliance on unverified data, Forrester’s model set the stage for future explorations in urban simulation. The following chapter, ‘Drawing, Mapping and Painting the City’, transitions into the realm of urban visualisation. Batty chronicles the development of computer graphics from rudimentary raster images to advanced GIS systems. The discussion underscores the importance of online mapping in urban analysis (Batty, 2018a; Hudson-Smith et al., 2009; Longley et al., 2015), illustrating how these technologies enable detailed visualisation and manipulation of urban spaces through such as NASA’s satellite imagery, OpenStreetMap’s collaborative mapping, and Google Earth’s interactive platform. Here, he highlights that our exploration of maps indicates that routine and everyday changes can also be detected through them, ‘as many online systems are frequently updated, making them useful for both high- and low-frequency city events’ (p.250). The ‘Big Data and Urban Analytics’ chapter then underscores the importance of intelligent data analysis tools in extracting meaningful patterns from vast datasets. This chapter highlights how big data, combined with advanced analytics and simulation techniques, is reshaping our understanding and management of urban systems, enabling more precise and responsive urban planning. Before transitioning to how this new digital world will be structured, the ‘Digital Cities and Virtual Realities’ chapter explores how digital technologies, particularly virtual environments (VEs) and virtual geographic environments (VGEs), have transformed our understanding and management of urban spaces. It highlights the integration of digital and physical spaces in cities, driven by advances in VR technology, data collection, and simulation. Meanwhile, one significant ethical consideration is the potential intrusion of digital technologies into human bodies, particularly through advancements in medical technologies. This raises profound moral and ethical questions about privacy, bodily autonomy, and the potential for misuse of such technologies (p.299). Additionally, the use of VGEs for, for example, policing strategies during riots, may cause unintended consequences and ethical dilemmas regarding the balance between security and individual rights.

The final part – ‘Planning and Organization’ – focuses on the increasing complexity and uncertainty of information in the context of urban settings, where advances in information technology drive the convergence of business practices and information technology as a social mechanism, while also being highlighted starkly by the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘The Technology Convergence’ chapter begins with a discussion on the evolution of technology, emphasising that new technologies often build upon their predecessors, leading to continuous innovation. Batty highlights the impact of miniaturisation and recombination, describing how the convergence of technologies has compressed complex systems into more user-friendly forms. This compression has resulted in rapid advancements in both software and hardware, making technology pervasive and ever-evolving, yet increasingly challenging to master due to constant updates. ‘The Twenty-first-century Technology Surge’ further delves into the foundations of the wired society that had emerged by the early 2000s. He underscores the significant organisational changes that accompany technological evolution, noting how the ability to connect and compress technologies has reduced friction in innovation cycles. This transformation is particularly evident in the shift to remote work and virtual interactions, which has reshaped the functional dynamics of cities, a change accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The central focus of ‘Organizing Smart Cities’ is the concept of smart cities, addressing the broader implications for urban life. He argues that developing smart cities involves rethinking urban management and infrastructure while tackling social challenges such as segregation, poverty, and unemployment. However, Batty also acknowledges the criticism that smart cities often fail to adequately address these traditional urban problems and raise concerns about data privacy and surveillance. The vision for smart cities must consider more integrated solutions that address both technological and social challenges, ensuring that smart city initiatives do not exacerbate existing inequalities. The concluding chapter, ‘The Unpredictable City’, complements his previous works (Batty, 2016, 2018b), exploring the inherent complexity and unpredictability of urban development. The rapid advancement of technology, along with unforeseen global events such as pandemics, inherently make predicting the future of cities uncertain and complex (Batty, 2022; Batty et al., 2021). This requires academia, policymakers, civil society, and businesses to strengthen cross-sector partnerships that embrace digital transformation and new technologies, prioritise sustainability, and strategically utilise planning tools to proactively address complex global issues.

To conclude, in many ways, the vision for a smart and computable city has materialised, nearly encapsulating our progress in mapping the evolution of the computable city. The first part of this book focused on hardware, the second on the physical aspects of the city, the third on software, and the fourth on the broader organisation of computation and modern urban planning technologies. As we look towards the urban future, digital technologies will increasingly integrate into our daily lives. It highlights the increased complexity and uncertainty of information, as starkly illustrated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This convergence of technology and urban development brings both opportunities and challenges, necessitating a nuanced understanding of how digital innovations can reshape urban spaces while addressing ethical concerns such as privacy, surveillance, and social inequality.

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