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| Cities are key economic drivers and the sociocultural base for very large proportions of all populations around the world. For the first time in history, the majority of the worlds population lives in cities and urbanization is still on the rise, at an unprecedented rate. The United Nations (2014) predicts that 66 percent of the worlds population will be living in urban environments by 2050. Facing this, all nations are increasingly interested in finding ways to improve the livability, productivity, and sustainability of their cities through better urban planning, design, and management. All city-makers are dealing with constant, fast-paced change, and shifting social, technological, economic, sustainability, and development trends. In the midst of this whirlwind of social and physical forces is the fundamental need for a city to provide a place for people to live. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||