The re-emergence of core region growth: a return to the metropolis?

Recent trends in migration in the United States are reviewed, focusing on the links between regional and metropolitan population change. Three explanations for the counterurbanization phenomenon of the 1970s are presented and their implications for future migration trends considered. The author concludes that "while 1970s core region declines may have been strongly linked to the counterurbanization process, post-1980 core region gains do not appear to signal a return to the metropolis."     

Technology-based state growth policies: the case of North Carolina’s Green Business Fund

The Annals of Regional Science - US technology-based initiatives at the state level continue to emphasize regional economic development and job growth. Many are now also focused on green...     

Urban sprawl in the Mediterranean?: Patterns of growth and change in the Barcelona Metropolitan Region 1993–2000

Debates on the urban form have become strongly polarized between the advocates and opponents of the compact and of the dispersed or “sprawled” city. In this paper we argue that this may be the result of an excessive concentration on the study of the American experience and the neglect of other urban contexts, and examine the recent process of urban growth against the background of urban compactness and extreme densification represented by the Barcelona Metropolitan Region (BMR). The comparison of two detailed land-cover maps of 1993 and 2000 shows a progressive transformation in the traditional urban character of the region. Lower urban densities, high losses of non-urban land covers, depopulation of the metropolitan inner core, an increasing importance of single housing or the expansion of transportation infrastructures confirm the generalization of the dispersed urban model. However, the presence of numerous medium sized towns has also proved to be a deterrent of excessive dispersion. In conclusion, polycentric metropolitan areas such as the BMR may be more adjusted to absorb the negative effects of dispersion than monocentric areas.     

Does the high-speed rail network improve economic growth?

This paper discusses whether high-speed rail (HSR) construction in China promotes urban economic growth, and it uses social network analysis (SNA) and a panel threshold model. We provide robust evidence that HSR networks have non-linear effects on the urban economy. Urban location and transportation hub status change as the density of HSR networks increases, and from 2008 to 2017, the national average annual growth rate of the weighted degree centrality (WDC) was 44.93%. We find the WDC and betweenness centrality (BC) have positive influences on urban economic growth. However, HSR network expansion reduces the economic benefits of HSR because the marginal contribution of new HSR lines to economic productivity decreases and there is a crowding out effect caused by excessive agglomeration. HSR networks can promote the economy of Western China to a greater extent and can promote the economy more in small cities than in large and medium-sized cities. These findings can help the government rationalize its strategy for designing HSR lines in various regions.     

The real estate ‘tsunami’ in Spain: the administration of urban growth in the case of Arroyo de la Encomienda and Valladolid,Spain

The ‘Bilbao effect’ was a key argument in the debate over Oslo's new opera house, set to open this spring. Geographer Marius Hofseth presents Norway's largest urban development project in light of political debates on the role of culture in urban development.     

A Primary Analysis of the Morphology Formation of the Market Towns in the Region of Rivers and Lakes to the South of the Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River

The market towns in the region of riv-ers and lakes to the south of the lowerreaches of the Yangtze River in China havelong focussed people's attention upon theirunique formal structures.In this region ofrivers and lakes,its natural morphology is in     

Use of Geophysical Techniques for the Localization of the Restricting Zones of Permeability in the Bottom of Basin： Forecasting the Zones of Clogging

Measurements of dielectric parameters followed by permeability tests are performed on soil samples of infiltration basin. The dielectric parameters are obtained by TDR （time domain reflectrometry） measurements from which it is found that the measurement of the permittivity, the electrical conductivity and the relaxation time of compacted soil allows the mapping of the values of the coefficient of permeability at the surface of an infiltration basin. With the distribution of the coefficient of permeability, the areas of water stagnation can be detected before the basin filling. The study proves that the TDR measurements for the detection of these zones can be used for the management of infiltration basins for sustainable working and their remediation can be undertaken before the rainy seasons.     

The Protection of the East Tombs of the Qing Dynasty and the Restoration of Historic Environment

The general planning is aimed to protect the historic relics and their environ-ment while paying attention to the overall restoration of historic environment onthe basis of historic and present characteristics of the East Tombs of the Qing Dyn-asty.Attention should also be paid to the coordinated development in other as-pects of socio-economic and tourist constructions.     

A Summary of the Symposium of the International Housing Issue

The Ministry of Urban and Rural Con-struction and Environmental Protection(MURCEP) of China and the UN Centerfor Human Settlement jointly sponsored asymposium on the international housing is-sue from June 9 to 15,1987 in Kunming,China.The symposium was an importantevent co-sponsored by China and the U.N.Center for Human settlement in the Interna-tional Year of Shelter.lts main topic was:to     

Anticipating the “Bilbao effect”: Transformations of the city of Arles before the opening of the Luma Foundation

By analyzing data from the 2006/07 and 2013 French census as well as data extracted from the Yellow Pages, this paper seeks to understand how the French city of Arles is preparing for the arrival of Frank O. Gehry’s Luma Foundation landmark building in 2019, and how a big-scale construction site, still devoid of its future aesthetics and cultural function, impacts the urban core. To do this, we consider three hypotheses: (1) The Rise of New Audiences: a landmark building attracts the new populations to the pre-existing urban cultural core, (2) Residential Pattern: a landmark building induces social transformation of surrounding neighborhoods, (3) Mobility: a landmark building induces the arrival of the “most talented and educated” people. After testing these hypotheses with cartographical and statistical methods, our findings demonstrate strong support for Mobility, and mixed support for The Rise of New Audiences and Residential Pattern. Even though the causal links between the landmark building and new urban dynamics are difficult to prove, our results reveal that Arles is “customizing” itself to the forthcoming cultural and aesthetic dimensions of the Luma Foundation.     

On the Regionization of the Industrial Policy

Combining theory withpractice,this article expounded theintrinsic links between the industrialpolicy and the policy ofregionization and the necessity of du-al guides and restrictions for the con-duct of regional main body;the or-ganic combination of the unificationand principle of the persistency ofthe country's industrial policy as a     

An Exploration of the Thinking and Method of the Revision of Beijing''''s Master Planning

This article introduces the new thinking andmethod of the revision of Beijing's master plan.The plannersmade new exploration and breakthroughs in such aspects asthe involvement of the general public in planning,the intro-duction of value concept,unified planning of both urban andrural areas,how to link with the future goals of development,etc.     

Response of stress indicators and growth parameters of Tibouchina pulchra Cogn. exposed to air and soil pollution near the industrial complex of Cubatão, Brazil

The present study was performed in the vicinity of the industrial complex of Cubat?o, S?o Paulo, Brazil, in order to evaluate the response of 'manaca da serra' Tibouchina pulchra Cogn. (Melastomataceae), a common species of secondary Atlantic Rain Forest vegetation, to the impact of complex air pollution. Emphasis was given to changes of biochemical parameters such as ascorbic acid concentration, peroxidase activity, contents of water-soluble thiols, pH of leaf extract and buffering capacity. These plant factors are often used as early indicators of air pollution stress. Field experiments included sampling of leaves from mature trees in areas with different air pollution load (passive monitoring), exposure of saplings cultivated in uniform soil at these areas (active monitoring) and a study on the combined effects of contaminated soil and air pollution. In general, metabolic response of saplings was more accentuated than that of mature trees. Leaf extract pH and buffering capacity showed no or only small alterations in plants exposed to industrial emissions. In contrast, air pollution resulted in a distinct decrease in ascorbic acid contents and an increase in peroxidase activity and thiol concentrations in leaves. Cultivation of saplings in soil types from contaminated regions frequently caused the same modifications or enhanced the effects produced by air pollution. Growth analysis of exposed saplings demonstrated that a change of the relationship between above-ground and below-ground plant parts was the most obvious effect of air pollution and soil contamination. The experiments showed that even T. pulchra, a species considered resistant to air pollution, suffers metabolic disturbances by the present ambient air and soil quality. Although biochemical and physiological alterations were not related to a certain air pollution type, they could be used to estimate the overall pollution load and to map zones with different air quality.     

Prediction of the impact of the Aznalcóllar toxic spill on the trace element contamination of agricultural soils

The interaction of several trace elements (Cd, Zn, Cu, Pb, As, Bi, and Tl) was studied by leaching experiments in agricultural soils affected by the Aznalcóllar toxic spill. The spill led to contamination by acid waste waters and sludge deposition. The levels of contamination recorded after the sludge was removed from soils showed that highly contaminated areas remained. A comparison of soils directly affected by sludge deposition and acid waste waters with soils contaminated only by acid waste waters demonstrated that Zn/As and Cd/As ratios were good indicators of the two contributions to the contamination. Soil samples were characterised and grouped according to their texture and carbonate content. The response of elements to single extractions with CaCl2 0.01 mol l-1, CaCl2 1 mol l-1, CH3COOH 0.43 mol l-1, and EDTA 0.05 mol l-1 enabled us to estimate their mobility in the soils. Cd and Zn were found to be the most mobile elements. Cu showed an intermediate mobility, especially in an acidic medium. Pb, As, Bi and Tl were found to be non-mobile elements. A comparison of referent, low and highly contaminated samples showed that the presence of sludge had an effect on desorption yields, in part due to the short-term after the contamination. Calculations of a relative scale of long-term mobility, between soils and trace elements, provided further conclusions derived from the use of single extractions.     

Images of the Future from the Past： The Metabolists and the Utopian Planning of the 1960s

During the 1960s, many changes reshaped the economy, the society and the arts. The Cold War, the Space Race, the construction of a new middle class in most western societies led by the postwar economic prosperity with unprecedented urban growth followed by severe environmental problems fostered the design of spectacular urban utopian cities and mega-architectures. In those years, Japan was the source of highly influential bold and visionary urban and architectural ideas which relied on advanced technology. These ideas were conceived on the thought that cities could be seen as gigantic but impermanent entities able to transform itself according to an organic process of adaptation of its elementary components. This paper briefly revisits and critically discusses the legacy of the iconic mega-strnctural projects of Japanese Metabolist Movement and other visionary architects and planners of the 1960s, such as Paolo Soleri, Buckminster Fuller, Archigram. It attempts to enlighten the continuity with contemporary innovative and experimental urban models and ideas for the society and the city of the future, such as the Smart Cities, Eco-Cities, Green Urbanism, whose design is led by concerns related to climate change, the necessity of energy efficiency, the improvement of urban landscape and the valorization of depleted natural resources.     

An Analysis of the Relationship Between the Education Attainment and Economic Status of the Elderly Population in the Towns and Cities of China

Viewed from a macro scope,the cultureof a community is closely related to its econ-omy.Economy being the basis,the level ofeconomic growth determines the level ofcultural development.Conversely,culturecan act as the precursor and cultural devel-opment enhances economic growth.Likewise,the education attainment of an in-dividual reflects the same sort of     

Review and Exploration of the Development of Planning for the Conservation of the Famous Historical and Cultural Cities in China

To comprehend the development of the famous histori-cal and cultural cities in China and their conservation plan-ning, it is necessary to understand, first of all, the back-ground of their history and present condition. This back-ground has taken shape in the historic development of thecities and is influenced by many complicated factors of thepresent time. To discuss these factors in simple way, theycan be summarized as follows:The impact of the historical and cultural ideas;The impact of the physical and environmental condi-tion;The impact of the present socialand economicsituation.The impact of the historical and cultural ideasChina is a country with ancient civilization. TheChinese cultural has been shaped through development, in-heritance and harmony in a history of 5000 years on the ba-sis of the ancient Huaxia Culture with the Yellow River andthe Yangtse River as the main arteries.The rising of ancient cities in China can be traced backto over 3500 years ago. China is a multinational country. Int     

On the Migration of the Surplus RuralLabour Force

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The Practice of the Comprehensive Traffic Planning for the City of Chongqing

This article discribes the comprehensive traffic planning of Cho-ngqing, an extra-large industrial city in the southwest of China,which has a geographical importance and hilly terrain. The plan-ning stresses the needs to meet the city's future socio-economic de-velopment strategy, the guarantee for the realization of urban devel-opment strategy and the solutions to the conspicuous traffic prob-lems.