How to better understand the ‘science of cities’

By Ramon Gras Alomà and Jeremy Burke, Aretian Co-Founders and Researchers at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Cities today are more important than ever before. On one hand, they are the economic and political engines we need to take on the world’s biggest problems, such as climate change and social inequality. On the other hand, urban development that lacks bold vision and coordination could create problems that endure for generations to come.

How can city planners and political leaders avoid the pitfalls of bad urban design while harnessing the creativity and productivity of cities for good? The problem with today’s approaches to urban design is that they are ba...