URBAN METABOLISM
The city as a living machine—a metabolic organism that breathes, circulates, and evolves.
Introduction
Following the Archigram Principle and the work of urbanist Jan Gehl, we analyze cities as biological systems. A healthy city has functioning circulation (transit), distinct organs (neighborhoods), responsive skin (public space), and a working immune system (planning).
This research examines five cities—Tokyo, Copenhagen, Istanbul, London, and Ankara—through this metabolic lens. Our case study: Ankara, Turkey (2005-2025), a 20-year analysis of what happens when a city ignores biological logic.
The Metabolic Framework
We use five biological metaphors to analyze urban health. Each corresponds to a measurable urban quality that determines whether a city thrives or dies.
Blood — Circulation
Transportation / Metro / Transit
The city's bloodstream. When it fails, every organ suffers. Metric: metro km per million residents. Tokyo: 8.1 km/M • Ankara: 0.18 km/M
Nerves — Communication
Social Networks / Public Space
Street life, casual encounters, neighbor interactions. Dead nerves = isolated, privatized streets. Copenhagen: 60% active streets • Ankara: <15%
Organs — Identity
Neighborhood Character
Distinct neighborhoods with unique function and personality. Characterless cities have no organs, just tissue. Tokyo: 23 named wards • Ankara: "Site" culture
Skin — Interface
Streets / Public Realm
The interface between private and collective. Healthy skin = permeable, active ground floors. Copenhagen: Strøget 1.1 km • Ankara: no pedestrian core
Immune System — Regulation
Planning / Infrastructure-First
Garden City approach: infrastructure-first. Sprawl approach: build first, fix never. Howard 1898 vs. Ankara 2005-2025
Comparative Urban Models
Five cities, five different approaches. From Tokyo's functioning complexity to Ankara's failed sprawl.
Tokyo
The Functioning Complexity
23 wards, each distinct. 300+ km metro. Trains every 2-3 min. Villages merged into wards, not erased.
Copenhagen
The Humane Scale
60% bike/transit trips. Strøget: Europe's longest pedestrian street. Parks within 300m.
Istanbul
The Chaotic Masterpiece
2,500 years continuous habitation. Byzantine streets still followed. Bosphorus limits sprawl.
London
The Historic Network
World's first underground (1863). 402 km tube. Strong neighborhood identity: Shoreditch, Camden.
Ankara
The Subject of This Research
1 metro line. +68% sprawl. Infrastructure-last approach. The case study in urban failure.
Ankara: A Case Study in Urban Failure
Ankara 2005-2025: Twenty years of uncontrolled growth. What happens when a city ignores biological logic and prioritizes construction over infrastructure.
The Three Scales of Failure
The Apartment
- Windowless interior kitchens
- Thin walls, no acoustic comfort
- Balconies too small to use
- No sense of place—just "units"
The Neighborhood
- No gathering spaces (only roads)
- No shared character (identical towers)
- No "third places" (cafes, squares)
- Only hypermarkets, no small commerce
The City
- Unsustainable sprawl (+68%)
- Circulatory collapse (traffic, water, power)
- Unequal distribution
- Lost identity—no coherent character
Research Outcome
This research directly informed the development of our Ideal City Planning Assets—a 3D model library for sustainable neighborhood design based on Garden City principles.
The parametric models include: walkable block dimensions, mixed-use zoning templates, public space ratios derived from Copenhagen data, and transit-oriented density gradients from Tokyo.
Methodology & Sources
Theoretical Framework
- Archigram — Urban metabolism (1960s)
- Ebenezer Howard — Garden City (1898)
- Jan Gehl — Public space & walkability
- Frei Otto — Emergent form-finding
Data Sources
- Infrastructure statistics 2015-2025
- Traffic flow simulation data
- Slime mold network research (Japan)
- Municipal planning documents