Developing a conceptual framework of urban DNA using evolutionary theories

Abstract

As cities evolve in increasingly complex ways, urban planners and researchers are focusing on creating long term and stable visions that are location-specific, sustainable, and inclusive. This visioning process often results in a fundamental question: Is there an underlying urban DNA, a foundational structure that shapes how urban areas grow, adapt, and transform? The idea of urban DNA, first articulated in the early 2000s, has gained renewed prominence since 2020, particularly in post-pandemic recovery strategies that emphasize local identity and place branding. Unlike the concept of urban identity and urban traits, which reflect external dynamics observable in a city and its performance, the concept of urban DNA focuses on the internal structures and mechanisms that shape urban identity, providing sustainable solutions over temporary remedies. Although numerous scholars have introduced conceptual frameworks for urban DNA, and many policy documents highlight cities’ interpretations of their distinctive urban DNA, these applications often lack a strong theoretical grounding. This limitation underscores the need for a more rigorous theoretical foundation that can both substantiate the concept of urban DNA and explain the sequence of urban evolutionary events, framing it as a structured process rather than a set of randomized events. This research develops the concept of urban DNA by identifying the core elements that constitute the genetic building blocks of cities and shape their emergence and evolution. Five interrelated elements, urban uniqueness, temporal variation, spatial variation, growth, and stability, form the basis of this framework. To ground these elements theoretically, 17 urban evolutionary theories were systematically assessed through a relevance matrix, comparing their conceptual alignment, explanatory power, and practical applicability to the urban DNA construct. The analysis highlights urban niche theory and French regulatory theory as particularly relevant for explaining urban DNA. Based on these insights, a grounded theoretical framework is proposed that offers urban planners and policymakers an operational tool to identify and leverage the urban DNA of their respective cities.