Isobenefit Urbanism is the thinking behind the cities of the future, say the researchers Luca S. D’Acci from the Polytechnic of Turin and David Banister from the University of Oxford in an article for the World Economic Forum. The concept guides planners to “think about cities around walking-distance centralities within natural lands, connected via public transit to ensure the conglomeration still benefits from the economy of scale”, they write.
The authors describe Isobenefit Urbanism as a “kind of urban DNA that provides individual actions for specific contexts”. As such, Isobenefit cities of all sizes maintain constant proportions between built and green areas; ensure a walkable distance to centralities and to green areas; and enjoy benefits including reduced urban heat island effects, less pollution and lower car surface occupancy.
Via a self-planning algorithm, Isobenefit Urbanism can “generate infinite urban-phenotypes from a sole urban-genotype”, according to the article. Each of the phenotypes is a meta 1- mile-green-city, which means that the nearest centrality, amenities, services, workplaces and natural lands are within walking distance of any point in the city. ‘Meta’ refers to the fact that these walking units are interconnected by public transport options like skytrains.
However, making Isobenefit Urbanism a reality is difficult unless applied to entirely new cities, say the researchers. In practical terms, municipal planning institutions would have to check the existing situation and assess whether it satisfies the Isobenefit Urbanism indicators. “Embracing Isobenefit Urbanism as we rejuvenate existing cities, and build whole new urban areas, would provide a good quality of life for those living in them, while also helping the global fight against climate change,” conclude the authors. em
