The application of deep generative models in urban form generation based on topology: a review

ABSTRACT

Integrating deep generative models into urban form generation is an innovative and promising approach to support the urban design process. However, most deep generative urban form models are based on image representations that do not explicitly consider topological relationships among urban form elements. Toward developing an urban form generation framework aided by deep generative models and considering topological information, this paper reviews urban form generation, deep generative models/deep graph generation, and the state of the art of deep generative models in architectural and urban form generation. Based on the literature review, a topology-based urban form generation framework aided by deep generative models is proposed. The hypotheses of street network generation by deep generative models for graph generation and plot/building configuration generation by deep generative models/space syntax and the feasibility of the proposed framework require validation in future research.

KEYWORDS:

• Deep generative models
• deep graph generation
• urban form generation
• topology
• topology-based urban form generation framework aided by deep generative models
• space syntax

Data availability

Data available from the corresponding author on request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 An isvoist means a group of points visible from a defined vantage point and related to the environment (Benedikt 1979).

2 Markov chain is a chain formed by a sequence of possibilities of states in a long-run steady-state level in which the probability of a state relies on the previous state (Glantz and Mun 2011).