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The Information Architecture of Cities

School of Information Technology, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia 6150, Australia

Nikos A. Salingaros

University of Texas at San Antonio, USA

Cities can be viewed as information architecture systems. Here, ‘architecture’ is used in the sense of computer architecture – it refers not to the design of buildings, but to how the components of a complex system interact. Information exchange includes the movement of people and goods, personal contact and interactions, telecommunications, as well as visual input from the environment. Information networks provide a basis for understanding living cities and for diagnosing urban problems. This paper argues that a city works less like an electronic computer, and more like the human brain. As a functionally complex system, it heuristically defines its own functionality by changing connections so as to optimize how components interact. An effective city will be one with a system architecture that can respond to changing conditions. This analysis shifts the focus of understanding cities from their physical structure to the flow of information.

Key Words: cities • models • information systems architecture • information flow • information exchanges • organic networks • functionality • urban planning • complexity management • knowledge management • telecommunications • heuristics • change management • evolution

Journal of Information Science, Vol. 30, No. 2, 107-118 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/0165551504041682


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