New generative and AI design methods for transportation systems and urban mobility design, planning, operation, and analysis: contribution to urban computing theory and methodology [apstrakt]

Abstract

The paper places its contribution within the domain of architectural and urban computing, artificial intelligence application in urban and architectural studies, or more broadly in spatial and urban planning, analysis/analytics, design, and operation, all considering new methodologies. Having new computational design and problem-solving methods in mind as a primary investigative subject and instrument (AI and generative design methods in particular), the author aimed to test the range of possibilities of their application in the named contribution area, forming corresponding theoretical foundations of thus established design and research conduct. Such an aim demanded an elaborate theoretical review so as to provide the necessary background for understanding the most recent stage of technological development within the digital architectural, urban, and spatial design and computing, valid corresponding terminology, groups of targeted computational design methods, and available software tools for their application, all within the functional systematic cross-disciplinary approach to the construction of design problem-solving methodology with regards to spatial and data/computational sciences. The approach has been interpreted through condensed tabular and diagrammatic information on conducted case studies, used to support, and illustrate stated theoretical objectives.

Due to the large area of application, the focus of the more specific inquiries has been narrowed to one of the urban systems and planning concerns - the urban mobility and transportation system - firstly by employing all its modalities, urban infrastructure, and facilities on a larger scale to define operative research environment, and secondly by targeting specific design questions and tasks within the defined domain, including examples of the ways in which they can be modelled as abstract or real-world problems. The Grand Paris transportation network and region have been chosen for the experimental field of operation, while supportive material for establishing generative design problem modelling and solution methodology has been provided through specific tasks addressing network graph design and operationalisation, and urban movement design through selected computational problem-solving methods.