Research note: a transferable entropy-centrality method for urban stability analysis

This Research Note presents a proof-of-concept methodology for evaluating urban stability by integrating entropy with a novel graph-based centrality measure. We propose the HA2/P index, where the squared convex hull area of a street segment’s reachable zone is divided by its perimeter, capturing both extent and compactness of accessibility. Weighted by indicators such as building area, population, greenery, and water, this index was calculated for every street segment across Lithuania using the sDNA toolbox and ArcGIS Pro. Shannon entropy was then applied to the distribution of values within 400-m hexagons, producing a composite “stability index” that balances configurational diversity and structural coherence. Results show that historical and multifunctional cores demonstrate high stability, while fragmented or monofunctional modernist areas display low stability. This method, transferable to different contexts, offers a scalable tool for detecting resilient, multifunctional urban structures and contributes to international debates on sustainable urban form and the 15-Minute City.