Surveying Models in Urban Land Studies

Modern urban regions are highly complex entities. Despite the difficulty of modeling every relevant aspect of an urban region, researchers have produced a rich variety of models dealing with the manifold processes of urban change. This article reviews the models discussed in the literature in order to understand the most important aspects in modeling for urban studies currently. It starts by making a comprehensive review of the sixty-four models mentioned in the literature, and then "zooms in," detailing only the dynamic models (considered at the forefront of the fifth generation of systems theory). The issues explored include each model's subject areas and main goals, scales of analysis, and technologies used. Building on the previous criteria, the article aims to present a guide to existent models and point out future directions toward new technology developments in urban studies. © The Author(s) 2012