In search of a stable urban regime for Montreal: issues and challenges in metropolitan development

As with many major North American urban areas since the 1960s, Montreal has faced contextual changes that have brought to the fore the question of its development. However, because of its history and the uncertainties linked with Quebec's constitutional future, attempts to stimulate its development have required certain compromises, often with unexpected results. In order to evaluate the performance of coalitions formed with the objective of meeting the challenges associated with urban and metropolitan development, we have drawn upon the concept of urban regimes. Focusing specifically on Montreal, we ask whether it is possible to transpose urban regime analyses that consider both structural and cultural factors specific to local organized forces. Revealing though they might be, these analyses nevertheless possess certain limitations, notably the underestimation of the weight and increasing importance of players and forces occurring on a metropolitan scale. This is particularly true in the case of Montreal.     

Rescaling metropolitan governance: examining discourses and conflicts in two Swiss metropolitan areas

Due to their nodal position in economic and social development, metropolitan areas give impetus to globalization. In turn, they are themselves transformed by this process. However, the question of how metropolitan areas transform by participating in the process of globalization is subject to debate. Based on case studies of two Swiss metropolitan areas (Berne and Zurich) and two policy domains (public transport and urban foreign policy), we argue that the rescaling process in metropolitan areas depends on the global competitiveness pressure the cities face and on the meaning that political actors give to these global pressures.     

我国目前城市地下空间开发中的问题及对策

简单介绍了我国城市地下空间发展历程,针对当前城市地下基础开发中存在的忽视地下基础设施建设、防灾设施重视不够、公共建筑地下室缺乏统一规划三类问题进行了探讨,并提出了相应的对策及措施,对促进城市地下空间开发利用具有指导意义。     

Scaling-down and scaling-up processes of territorial governance: cities and regions facing institutional reform and planning challenges

The process of territorial governance rescaling now ongoing in European countries concerns not only the devolution of competencies from central states to regional politico-administrative levels (towards federalism) but also a new role of institutions, agencies and companies operating in well-defined sectors. A complex – downward and upward – transfer of competencies, powers and resources is taking place. In particular, cities belong to specific territories, but are increasingly involved in large-scale processes as far as services and infrastructure construction and management are concerned, as well as economic and cooperation initiatives. This often requires the creation of regional or upper-scale agencies and companies.

The article focuses – within an analytical framework concerning the dynamics of regions and cities in the European space – on three cities in Northern Italy (Bolzano-Bozen, Trento and Verona) undergoing contradictory trends towards federalism, on the one hand, and policy integration at variable scales on specific issues – in a multi-level governance perspective – on the other hand. Finally, the role of strategic, spatial and urban planning processes and tools are analysed, drawing some conclusions of general interest.     

以规划手段促进中国城市雕塑可持续发展的关键问题探讨

当前中国多座城市编制的城市雕塑规划在提升城市雕塑建设质量,改善城市环境方面发挥着重要的功能,但从长远看存在一系列需要高度关注的问题。本文基于城市规划与城市雕塑的跨学科视角,以提升空间品质和生活质量为导向,运用定性分析法,全面归纳今后一段时间城市雕塑规划应当重点考虑城乡统筹、区域统筹、代际公平等可持续发展的关键问题,以期更好地利用城市雕塑规划实现提升中国城市雕塑建设水平,达到营造健康城市的最终目的。     

Clandestine urbanization: reconstituting urban space in the margins of the Phoenix metropolitan area

This paper illustrates everyday practices of a marginalized population in areas of interrupted urbanization. These practices arise from the coincidence of an urban form produced and reproduced according to a Fordist logic of mass production for mass consumption and a Post-Fordist society with diverse needs. The paper focuses on practices that, while reconstituting needed urban elements, remain nevertheless unsanctioned because of a rigid imaginary of how urban space ought to be lived. These practices exemplify how residents respond to existing material and institutional restrictions by adopting hidden and clandestine forms of urbanization that allow them to reconstitute their urban space. The Phoenix metropolitan region is used to illustrate these responses. The paper concludes with a call for a form of urban planning that is more adaptive and responsive to residents’ needs, aspirations, and desires.     

Simulating the effects of climate change,economic and urban planning scenarios on urban runoff patterns of a metropolitan region

Urban development and climate change are expected to have significant effects on urban stormwater runoff. In this study, the Dynamic Urban Water Simulation Model (DUWSiM) is applied to Dublin, Ireland, to explore urban runoff patterns under varying urban growth and climate scenarios. Results show that annual urban runoff could decrease by 3.0% from climate change and monthly runoff could increase by 30% in winter and decrease by 28% in summer. Results also indicate that urban growth could increase annual runoff by up to 15%. The combined effect of climatic and land-use change generated runoff may potentially increase annual totals from between 2.9% to 21%. Monthly changes in runoff totals could increase by up to 57%. Accommodating these variations in runoff between the scenarios, flexible decentralised systems such as green roofs and pervious pavements, have a vital role in increasing the adaptability and long term sustainability of water infrastructure.     

Varieties of city regionalism and the quest for political cooperation: a comparative perspective

Urban theorists forecast greater political cooperation within city regions in response to globalization, yet signs of this remain relatively scant in Western Europe and North America. This article helps to explain the gap between theory and reality, as well as suggesting another way of looking at the comparative politics of city regions. The central argument: theorists are correct about the renewed importance of regional politics, but wrong about the importance of intergovernmental political cooperation. Local governments have other ways of pulling together for compelling metropolitan-wide objectives. This is done through processes of political coordination???institutionalized systems of mutual adjustment. Pluralist, associational and macropolitical varieties of political coordination among cities and suburbs empower them to act regionally without much governmental innovation. Each process has specific political limitations, however. They also influence the prospects for political cooperation among governments. Cases in New York, north-central Italy and Holland illustrate this perspective.     

全球化理论的实证研究：上海城市土地开发空间布局的特征

“大都市全球化理论”在其全球化进程中大城市土地利用的变化研究中,提出了发达工业化国家和新兴工业国家大城市各自不同,又存在相互之间的内在联系的城市空间发展形态模式。这一论断的科学性如何,本文以实证研究的方法对其进行了检验。     

Accountability and ecological sustainability challenges under NPM-based public sector-led urban development: four international comparative cases

This paper compares four different public sector-led urban development institutional arrangements within New Public Management (NPM)’s framework. The cases come from three European countries – Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands – and the Australian state of Victoria. These four jurisdictions, though distant, share much in terms of urban development processes and actors’ responsibilities within these processes, as well as legislation concerning urban development. In the comparison, emphasis is placed on addressing public accountability and ecological sustainability. Ecological sustainability is important to the public sector and urban development has a significant role in achieving more ecologically sustainable built environments. It was found out that steering the development projects is relevant to sustainability issues. Accountability needs to be addressed when forming single-purpose organizational arrangements, but the paper concludes that the examined organizations have no flaws in accountability. In examining these cases, it is assumed that all four operate in governance environments dictated by NPM’s methods, and their success is thus evaluated in that framework. There is little evidence so far of international comparative urban development research combining values and results achieved; or comparing cases from different jurisdictions.     

Improving walkability for seniors through accessibility to food stores: a study of three areas of Greater Montreal

The aging of suburbs requires that pedestrian accessibility be favored in this type of environment, because walking is a key element in the quality of life of seniors. This article analyzes the potential for accessibility by foot in three inner suburbs of the Greater Montreal Area. Accessibility was calculated using walking distances throughout the street network. This analysis was complemented by an observation of physical-spatial characteristics likely to affect walking among seniors. Pedestrian accessibility is influenced not only by long travel distances but also by various obstacles that result from land-use decisions in favor of motorized travel on a regional scale. This article reveals the necessity for urban planners to find a balance between local accessibility by foot and public transit, and regional accessibility by motorized transport.     

Land readjustment and metropolitan growth: an examination of suburban land development and urban sprawl in the Tokyo metropolitan area

Land Readjustment (LR) is a land development technique used in many countries around the world including Germany, Sweden, Japan, Taiwan and Korea. In essence it is a method whereby an irregular pattern of agricultural land holdings is re-arranged into regular building plots and equipped with basic urban infrastructure such as roads and drains. A percentage of each landowner’s holding is contributed to provide land for roads and parks, and for some plots to sell to pay the costs of the project. Its use has been particularly widespread in Japan where it is responsible for some 30% of the existing urban area, and is commonly referred to as ‘The Mother of City Planning’ (Toshi Keikaku no Haha). LR has for 20 years also been the focus of an international effort to introduce the technique to the developing countries of South East Asia. Although there is now a large literature on Japanese LR as a result of that project, however, virtually all of that literature focusses on practical aspects of how to implement projects, and on case studies of individual projects. Little attention has been paid to the role of LR in Japanese urban growth and urban planning at a city or regional scale, although such an examination is necessary to understanding LR in Japan, and Japanese urbanisation and urban planning more generally. The present research examines the role of LR in shaping patterns of urban development in the rapidly growing northern suburbs of Tokyo in Saitama prefecture. In particular, the claim commonly made by Japanese writers that LR prevents urban sprawl is examined. Sprawl and its prevention have long been a preoccupation of both Western and Japanese urban planners for aesthetic and efficiency reasons. However, it has recently gained importance as the critical interconnections between urban form and urban travel patterns, and greenhouse gas emissions and global warming have become more widely recognised. The case studies examine the role of LR in land development and urban growth at the regional scale (Saitama prefecture) and at the local scale (Urawa, Omiya and Ageo cities). GIS mapping and analysis of the case study areas, and interviews with planners and participants are used to examine the role and impacts of LR projects in suburban land development in Japan. The research suggests that while there are various impacts of LR projects because they are so widely used, in a range of different contexts, it is fair to say that LR projects contribute to increased sprawl at the regional scale, while largely failing to prevent it at the local scale.     

Growth at the fringe: The influence of political fragmentation in United States metropolitan areas

Urban sprawl has evolved into an exceptionally complex public policy problem in the United States over the course of recent decades. One factor that has made it particularly difficult to deal with is its relationship to the fragmented structure of the American system of land use governance. Acting on behalf of their residents, local governments enact land use regulations to secure lifestyle preferences for low density, suburban living environments while at the same time ensuring a high quality of public service provision. This article examines the effect of this process on metropolitan spatial structure through a series of econometric models designed to test the following hypothesis: that fragmentation promotes sprawl by increasing the proportion of growth that occurs at the unincorporated urban fringe. The estimation results reveal substantive evidence that municipal fragmentation and several related factors - including special districts, infrastructure investments, and white flight processes - have a significant and enduring effect on the growth of outlying areas.Received: 1 February 2002, Accepted: 20 August 2002, JEL Classification: C31, R11, R14, R52Special thanks to Rolf Pendall, Gudmundur Ulfarsson and Brigitte Waldorf for their helpful comments and feedback, to Pyol Hwang for her invaluable research assistance, and to the three anonymous reviewers for their insightful suggestions. An earlier version of this article was presented at the North American Meetings of the Regional Science Association International in Charleston, South Carolina, in November 2001.     

当前我国城市发展的形势与判断

在分析我国宏观经济特征后 ,提出城市建设已经成为影响我国经济发展的关键性因素 ,作出了 :(1)加速城市化发展是我国目前经济发展阶段的需要和必然 ;(2 )目前城市加速发展的趋势是主流 ,对于泡沫经济需要尽快未雨绸缪两个基本判断。认为在我国的经济发展新阶段里 ,城市发展扮演着决定性的角色 ,必须尽快将城市化提升到我国的经济发展战略的核心位置。在目前的阶段 ,城市发展的任何减速 ,对于国家整体发展目标的实现都将是极为有害的     

加快推进重庆城镇化建设策略研究——基于重庆统筹城乡发展的视角

大城市、大农村、大山区和大库区并存使重庆成为全国城乡二元结构矛盾较为典型的地区。要打破这种城乡二元分割格局、解决农村问题,就必须城乡统筹考虑,加快城镇化进程。文章在分析直辖后重庆城镇化建设的主要绩效和存在问题的基础上,提出了新时期推进重庆城镇化进程的建议。     

European urban development: Sustainability and the role of housing

In the new Millennium, sustainable urbandevelopment is becoming a fashionable topic,almost as popular as globalization or citycompetition. European countries differ widelyfrom each other on whether they have a nationalpolicy for urban development or not, and if so,on the emphasis of such a policy. Pan Europeanorganizations are reluctant to establish aclear vision of a desirable European pathtoward urban development. This is even true forthe European Union: although the EU is runningextensive systems of support policies, it hasno clear expectation of how European citiesshould develop or what they should look like inthe future. (The European Spatial DevelopmentPerspective, ESDP, contains some statementsabout desirable urban development, but this isfar from being a binding document or havingsubstantial influence on the allocation ofmeans of support.)The criticism leveled at the EU for having nocommon policy for the future of its citiesshould be seen in perspective, as the lack ofideas/patterns for sustainable urbandevelopment is even more visible in theaccession countries and in Eastern Europe. Thedramatic changes in the cities of thepost-socialist countries even appear to bemoving in the opposite direction – away fromsustainability.Sustainability is a complex phenomenon, havingeconomic, environmental and social aspects. Anyconcept of sustainable urban development mustincorporate sectoral concepts; these must bewell integrated in the overarching urban,regional and governance policies.One sectoral policy of great importance tosustainable development is housing. Withoutsuitable suggestions for housing policies, noconcept of sustainable development can besuccessful (and vice versa). Yet, housing isone of the less frequently discussed aspects ofsustainability. This might be explained by theway housing research has developed; economicand social aspects have taken precedence overenvironmental effects and externalities. Ofcourse, the fact that housing is not part ofthe common policies of the EU also helpsexplain the present situation.This paper elaborates on the link betweenhousing and urban development. Using examplesof good and not so good practices, we considerwhy housing experts should investigate theenvironmental and spatial externalities ofhousing policies and why experts working onurban development policies should take theresults of such analyses into account. Suchcollaboration could raise the status ofsustainable urban policies supported bysuitable housing policies.The analysis presented here pertains to theWestern and Central parts of Europe, roughly tothe area of the soon-to-be-enlarged EuropeanUnion.The structure of the paper is as follows. Thefirst chapter discusses models and trends ofurban development. The second chapter gives anoverview of policies with the potential toinfluence urban development, followed by goodand not so good examples for such policiestaken from both Western and Eastern Europe. Thethird and fourth chapters concentrate on largehousing estates, where interventions wereneeded to ensure the sustainability ofdevelopment. Finally, chapter five offers someconcluding remarks.     

城乡规划专业设计类课程思政教学初探——以城市详细规划课程为例

以城市详细规划课程为例,探索课程思政视角下城乡规划专业设计类课程教学方法,以期促进学生的思想道德素质与专业知识水平同步提升。从加强教学团队建设、拓展完善教学内容、构建"沉浸式"教学和教学评价体系等方面,对课程进行全方位、全链条教学的深入研究,重识城市空间认知的课程价值体系,以空间正义为切入点,构建"专业课程为主、思政课程为辅"的专业与育人同向同行的课程思政教学路径,切实将专业知识教育和践行社会主义核心价值观相结合,实现以"价值体系"为引领的课程培养高阶目标,达成专业教育与思政教育协同育人的教学目的。     

贫困的城市群带如何发展——黄河上游城镇密集区发展透视

黄河上游城市群带是指兰州、西宁两个省会城市及周围的城镇密集区 ,通过分析该城市群带的基本情况和特点 ,对发展中的问题进行透视 ,提出黄河上游城市群带的发展格局 ,探索在国家西部大开发的战略决策指引下 ,城市群带发展的目标、途径和动力机制     

广州城市健身游憩空间发展现状调查

通过实地调研、资料收集、文献研究等方法,对广州城市的健身游憩活动及健身游憩空间发展现状进行了分析,为今后广州城市健身游憩空间规划发展提供了现状调查基础。     

The eidos of urban form: a framework for heritage-based place making

Despite the efforts of preservationists, numerous decaying heritage structures dot the urban landscape. Simultaneously, new development in historic areas has received much debate. Applying Plato’s theory of Forms, this research highlights contributions of the historic built environment to place making, offering a new theoretical framework based on the study of eidetic imagery. The root word for eidetic is eidos, the foundation of Plato’s theory. This paper traces the connotational evolution of the term eidos, applies these meanings to place research and case sites, and presents a new framework for heritage-based place making based on these meanings. Two salient factors are suggested moving forward: (1) the regeneration of non-productive heritage structures; and (2) utilizing the shared characteristics in the local and regional historic environment for design and planning of new development. While the case sites are international, the contextualization of the problem is primarily US-oriented.