Describing Medellín as a complex tropical high Andean urban system

We assess the structural complexity underlying the spatial configuration of urban state variables in Medellín. Leveraging the concept of the urban fractal, we describe the general organizational mode of the urban plane in terms of movement and mobility, while employing fractal dimension to quantify the dynamic affinities among different urban state variables. Additionally, we introduce a spatial entropy metric to evaluate the deviation of state variables from entropic equilibrium. To illustrate the contrasting distributions of urban variables across the territory, we utilize diffusive cartograms at the district scale. Our findings reveal the tension between Medellín’s organic and planned structures, shaped by physiographic, environmental, social, functional, and economic factors.