The course explores the evolution of great cities over time, looking at form and function to understand urban economic growth and accumulation of wealth. Drawing from various strands of economic thought, topics include: value theory; quantification of urban wealth; microeconomics of real estate markets; infrastructure for competitive financial centres; macroeconomics of urban form; growth theory; and evolutionary economics applied to urban systems. Using current and historical examples of urban development, the implications of infrastructure planning, and management on the health/wealth of cities is examined.