A Visionary Shaping Cities of Tomorrow

Born in the UK in 1945, Professor Michael Batty is a leading figure in urban planning, geography, and spatial data science. As chair of the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis at University College London (UCL)'s Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, he has played a pivotal role in redefining how cities are studied, modeled, and planned through innovative digital tools and theoretical frameworks.

In recognition of his pioneering work and long-standing collaboration with Chinese institutions, he was elected as a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Speaking on this honor in 2022, he said "I am honored to have been elected a fellow of CAS. I first visited China in 1986 and have been there many times since then as a visiting professor with exceptional universities. The fact that UCL now has 15,000 Chinese students out of 50,000 is testament to the strong links we have built. I look forward to strengthening our relationship with China."

A scientific approach to urban complexity

Batty has spent over five decades developing dynamic spatial models and visualizations that have laid the foundation for modern smart city modeling and digital twin technologies.

His theoretical contributions, particularly in complexity science and fractal modeling, offer a robust framework for understanding urban systems as evolving, adaptive entities.

He is the author of The New Science of Cities (2013) and Inventing Future Cities (2018), both of which have been translated into Chinese and widely read by scholars and practitioners across China.

He emphasizes that cities are complex systems, and urban planning must be approached with care to avoid unintended consequences. He warns against what he calls "wicked problems" — complex, interdependent urban challenges that often worsen when addressed simplistically.

"Good urban planning should not create more problems than it solves," he explained. "For example, building more roads to reduce traffic congestion often leads to more car ownership and, paradoxically, worse traffic."

On China's urban development

Batty has long admired China's rapid urbanization and technological advancement. He notes that many Chinese cities have become global models in applying new technologies in urban development.

He is particularly impressed by the emergence of urban clusters such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area，a region with over 80 million people, where cities like Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou demonstrate effective regional integration and synergistic development.

He also praises China's achievements in infrastructure, especially its rapid and large-scale development of metro systems, a feat that many Western countries struggle to match.

AI's role in planning

As cities become increasingly data-rich, AI is playing a growing role in urban planning and management. Batty acknowledges AI's transformative potential in processing vast amounts of data and enabling more accurate modeling.

However, he stresses that AI will never fully replace urban planners. "AI can generate solutions and identify patterns, but it lacks consciousness and the ability to appreciate the human and cultural dimensions of urban life," he said. "AI cannot judge the value or beauty of what it creates. That requires human insight."

Looking ahead, Batty predicts that cities will become increasingly intelligent, driven by advances in AI, mobile communications, and real-time data analytics. These technologies will reshape how people interact with urban environments, from smarter transportation systems to responsive public services.

At the same time, he emphasizes that while cities are constantly evolving, they also retain core identities and structures.

"Cities like Beijing have changed dramatically over the past century, yet their essence remains recognizable," he observed. One of the greatest challenges for urban planners is to understand the balance between transformation and continuity.

Batty's work offers a compelling vision of the future of cities, one that integrates scientific rigor with humanistic values. His advocacy for complexity-based planning, digital modeling, and sustainable development provides a roadmap for addressing the multifaceted challenges of urbanization.

This is an edited version of the original Chinese article by ZHANG Xinxin from Cover News based in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

Source: Science and Technology Daily