Cities aren't rocket engines: the maturity of digital twins in human-centred urban planning

In this article we provide a critical perspective on the role of urban digital twins in human-centred urban planning. We discuss the underlying philosophical views of these two concepts and argue that urban digital twins can only have real value if we facilitate a dialogue between those views. This means that we should move beyond purely technological approaches focused on automated optimization and control. Rather than as an objective source of truth, urban digital twins should be treated as a lens through which we can explore urban issues, while acknowledging the assumptions and oversights of computational models. We propose a revised conceptual structure of a mature urban digital twin, in which active human involvement is an asset rather than a limitation, and define seven additional characteristics of maturity besides being technologically advanced: adaptive, constructive, diverse, honest, humble, responsible, and transparent. Ultimately, we call for a shift from ‘data-driven’ to ‘data-informed’ urban planning, arguing that the true value of digital technologies lies not in replacing human agency, but in supporting it.