AI x Urbanization

This research asks whether services placed closer to where people live could reduce the need to travel into central Dar es Salaam. It explores how movement data could inform those decisions, with AI supporting an urban planning model.

Research question

Which services draw people from different parts of the city into the centre, and where could alternative locations serve that demand?

The focus is on the relationship between access to services and travel. Healthcare, education, markets, and offices are examples of the destinations the proposed analysis would consider.

Work so far

The project is in a research-and-framing stage. The existing work covers the problem statement, problem framing, research planning, and an impact assessment. These documents establish the question and a direction for investigation.

Proposed method

The proposed model would analyze movement patterns to explore:

• Origins and destinations: How many people travel from each zone into the city centre.
• Reasons for travel: Which services account for that movement.
• Potential alternatives: Where locating services outside the centre could meet demand closer to residents.

The intended output is guidance for prioritizing service locations. That would give planners a basis for exploring decentralization options.

Next investigation

A next step would be to test the approach with movement and service-location data, checking whether the patterns are useful for planning decisions. Any proposed locations would need further assessment before being treated as recommendations.

Current state

The project remains in research and problem framing. Its output so far is a documented question, impact assessment, and proposed analysis approach. Testing the model and assessing its effect on travel are future work.