Heuristic approaches to urban livability

Abstract

It is argued that although complexity theory might be useful for simulating various urban processes, it is probably incapable of throwing much light on such a mysterious concept as urban livability. Realistically therefore, city planners trying to boost urban livability can only adopt approximate and heuristic strategies which they think might increase livability and which will probably do no harm. Examples of four such strategies are discussed here. Firstly, improving urban connectivity seems important, and it is argued that Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) achieves this the most effectively. Secondly, clear communication, between the planners and the planned for, seems essential as well, and various innovative methods for achieving this, both now and in the future, are discussed. Thirdly, methods for optimizing urban layouts are likely to help, even if they do not act as prescriptive blueprints but serve rather as discussion generators for assessing the most desirable directions in which the city should be shaped, and two examples of suitable optimization methods are outlined. Finally, it is argued that no city planner can increase urban livability unless they have a viable way of predicting what the city’s residents are likely to prefer, and so a generic, preference-prediction method is presented here. The conclusion is reached that in Malaysia, it is the locals who will best understand what urban livability actually constitutes, and so foreigners should demonstrate only technical implementation procedures rather than how to go about achieving such a goal