Urban Networks and Infrastructure

We study cities and infrastructure networks, both in their physical and digital forms, as complex, interconnected systems shaped by human dynamics, exogenous factors, and spatiotemporal structures. By modeling urban systems, our researchers gain a deeper understanding of the causes behind major urban challenges such as segregation, health disparities, and economic development. Meanwhile, modeling critical infrastructures, like telecommunications, shipping, and the internet, helps identify vulnerabilities and interdependencies that affect network performance. Our work supports more sustainable urban planning and the design of resilient infrastructure systems.

Our focus

Urban Intelligence

Transportation Networks

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Featured projects

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Oil shipping networks

The global shipping network accounts for over 80% of the world’s trade by volume with crude oil dominating 30% of the market, resulting in one of the most polluting industries. Using four years of data of oil tanker movements, the study identifies global travel patterns of individual ships and shows that efficiency improves with route diversification and smart use of ports, revealing how high-resolution data and novel methods can guide more sustainable shipping strategies.

Urban-Rural Disparities in Mobility Inefficiency

This award winning project analyzes mobility patterns across rural and urban areas in Colombia, India, and Mexico using location-based data. It introduces a novel measure of routing inefficiency to reveal that rural areas face greater travel inefficiencies, especially later in the day. By comparing mobility efficiency with transit accessibility, the study highlights urban-rural disparities, temporal dynamics, and the need for context-specific planning to improve connectivity and promote equitable, sustainable mobility solutions.

Revitalizing Marginal Areas

This project introduces the Foundational Economy Index (FEI), a data-driven methodology to uncover why certain territories depopulate and to measure the availability of essential services sustaining local life. Applied to 372 municipalities in Piedmont, it combines ISTAT statistics with 17,000+ geolocated service points across healthcare, education, food, transport, and civic infrastructure. Findings show that the presence or absence of these services directly shapes an area's economic and social vitality. Though rooted in Piedmont, the methodology is scalable, giving policymakers worldwide a practical tool to guide investment and address depopulation at its roots.

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