Mapping II: Geosimulation

This advanced lecture course is a continuation of GSD6322 Mapping: Geographic Representation and Speculation. In Mapping II, students will learn the theories and techniques for modeling dynamic spatio-temporal urban and ecological systems. We will explore the history of geo-simulation in an intensely hands-on fashion using model-implementation as a way to understand and critique these approaches. We will work through models of increasing complexity: Some examples include Ira Lowry’s iterative models of the 1960s, cellular models of land use change developed by Waldo Tobler and Michael Batty, Jay Forrester’s Urban System Dynamics, and more recent developments in Agent-Based Modeling by a variety of practitioners. Lastly, we will explore the potential of these models to propose, analyze, and visualize new spatial-temporal configurations.

Technically, this course presents increasingly complex workflows that connect ArcGIS with Proce55ing—a java-based coding environment. No previous experience with coding is assumed but code will be the primary tool used in this course. Prerequisites: GSD6322, or permission of the instructor.