social-sciences

Urban Planning & City Design

The science of designing livable cities — zoning laws, traffic networks, green spaces, population density, and walkability scores that shape how millions of people experience daily life.

urban planningcity designzoningtrafficwalkabilitygreen spacepopulation densitytransportation

Urban planning is the interdisciplinary field that shapes how cities grow, function, and serve their inhabitants. From the grid layouts of Manhattan to the radial boulevards of Paris, every city reflects deliberate design choices about land use, transportation, public space, and density that profoundly affect quality of life, economic productivity, and environmental sustainability.

These simulations let you experiment with core urban planning concepts. Explore how zoning regulations create land-use patterns, watch traffic networks self-organize under congestion, design green space distributions that maximize ecological benefit, study how population density affects infrastructure costs, and measure walkability scores that predict neighborhood livability.

5 interactive simulations

simulator

Green Space Distribution & Urban Ecology

Model how parks, urban forests, and green corridors affect biodiversity, air quality, heat island reduction, and resident well-being across a city grid.

simulator

Population Density & Infrastructure Costs

Explore how population density affects infrastructure costs per capita, service delivery efficiency, and the economic viability of public transit — the core trade-off in urban form.

simulator

Traffic Network & Congestion Flow

Simulate vehicular traffic flow through a city road network — observe congestion patterns, Braess's paradox, and how signal timing affects throughput.

simulator

Walkability Score & Pedestrian Access

Calculate neighborhood walkability scores based on intersection density, land-use mix, block length, and amenity proximity — the metrics that predict whether people walk or drive.

simulator

Zoning & Land Use Model

Interactive zoning simulator that models how residential, commercial, and industrial zone allocations shape city structure, property values, and livability.