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Spatial Planning and Analysis in Urban Sustainability

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 13064

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Robert Krzysztofik

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Guest Editor

Institute of Social and Economic Geography and Spatial Management, University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
Interests: urban geography; spatial management; economic geography; geography of settlement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Dragan Weronika

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Guest Editor

Institute of Social and Economic Geography and Spatial Management, University of Silesia in Katowice, 41-200 Sonowiec, Poland
Interests: spataial management; urban geography; sustainabilty

Dr. Solarski Maksymilian

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Guest Editor

Institute of Social and Economic Geography and Spatial Management, University of Silesia in Katowice, 41-200 Sonowiec, Poland
Interests: spatial management; sustainabilty; land use planning

Dr. Spórna Tomasz

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Guest Editor

Institute of Social and Economic Geography and Spatial Management, University of Silesia in Katowice, 41-200 Sonowiec, Poland
Interests: urban geography; suburbanization; spatial management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to invite you to publish an article in this Special Issue. The thematic scope of this series is based on important issues of socio-economic and spatial development, and how it relates to urban sustainability. The development of cities and the urbanization of peri-urban areas is never harmonious and sustainable. On the one hand, plans, strategies, and development policies are prepared for the analyzed areas, and on the other hand, we observe often irrational or chaotic changes in geographical space. This causes many conflicts and disproportions in the urbanized space and its surroundings. This is where spatial planning plays a role, geared towards urban sustainability. The purpose of this Special Issue is to try to bridge the gap between planning theory and space management practice. This can be achieved by continuing to search for good practices and theoretical solutions, but also by creating analyses that improve on the existing methods of spatial management. To meet the problem of the global COVID-19 pandemic, we would also like to publish articles showing the relationship between sustainable urban development, the consequences of the pandemic, and spatial planning.

We invite articles whose analyses are based on both quantitative and qualitative methods.

In this Special Issue, we are interested in the following:

spatial planning in problem and conflict areas
spatial analyzes in terms of determining typical, but also characteristic directions of spatial development
indicating good practices in urban spatial planning
analyses of urban space presenting the dynamics of change
analyses of spatial structures of sustainable cities
spatial planning on derelict lands.

Prof. Dr. Robert Krzysztofik
Dr. Dragan Weronika
Dr. Solarski Maksymilian
Dr. Spórna Tomasz
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

urban planning
spatial development
spatial analysis
urban sustainability
urbanisation

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 49839 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hierarchical Structure of the Central Areas of Megacities Based on the Percolation Theory—The Example of Lujiazui, Shanghai

by Xinyu Hu, Yidian Wang, Hui Wang and Yi Shi

Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 9981; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14169981 - 12 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1260

Abstract

The study of an urban center’s hierarchical structure is an important subject if one wishes to understand the city. Previous studies on urban hierarchical structure focused mostly on qualitative or quantitative research based on factors such as format, transportation, and economy, and lacked quantitative measurement from the perspective of street networks. This study examined the urban central area of Lujiazui, Shanghai, from the perspective of the percolation of the street network in the urban central area. Then, combined with the actual urban space function, the connotation and fractal nature of the hierarchical structure of the central area of the mega-city were obtained. The resulting nested hierarchies represent a reorganization of these highly agglomerated urban centers that contribute to sustainability. The fractal results were verified by the box counting method. Finally, this study fulfills its main purpose, which is to propose a new method for the study of the hierarchical structure of urban central areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Planning and Analysis in Urban Sustainability)

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12 pages, 1614 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Urban Policy Sustainability through a Value-Added Densification Tool: The Case of the South Boston Area

by Rubina Canesi

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8762; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148762 - 18 Jul 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1400

Abstract

Over the past decade, urban density has been growing faster than ever, forcing high-density expansion. The aim of this study is to verify whether urban density is accepted as a sustainable value-added quality, internalized in the willingness to pay on a buildable per square feet basis. To explore the relationship between land prices and densification processes, this study focused on a low-density area, which recently went through a densification policy process with the approval of a new zoning tool. The study analyzes land price trends on a 144-Acre of area, located in the South Boston Submarket, identified as the Dorchester Ave Area. I analyzed land transactions in this area between 2012 and 2021. I also examined land price variations before and after the approval of a densification plan in correlation with the overall trend of the real estate market in that area. The results suggest that density is a value-added feature that affects land prices. Indeed, a higher density leads to higher values per buildable square feet. Densification policies have a strong positive impact on land transaction prices. Community and developers valued density with a greater willingness to pay, internalizing the economic, social, and environmental sustainability benefits. This phenomenon should be taken into consideration by local public authorities implementing their zoning tools. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Planning and Analysis in Urban Sustainability)

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20 pages, 8010 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Zoning Protection of Urban Remains from Perspective of Sustainable Development—A Case Study of Changchun

by Jiawang Zhang, Jianguo Wang, Jingmei Tao, Siqi Tang and Wutao Zhao

Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 5800; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14105800 - 11 May 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2078

Abstract

In recent years, the development of urbanization in China has entered a new stage with “quality” as its core. In the process of sustainable urban development, urban planning and construction relics are precious historical warnings and educational resources, and in the stage of accelerated urbanization, social transformation, and industrial upgrading, urban sites face severe pressure and challenges for conservation. This paper presents a summary analysis of various international charters concerning historical and cultural heritage in recent times, and analyzes the urban spatial structure, urban functional zoning, and the differences and evolutionary characteristics of urban construction sites between the pseudo-Manchukuo Xinjing plan and other regions of the world in the same period from a global perspective. The city of Changchun is also used as an example to systematically analyze the existing relics in Changchun using a historical-geographical perspective and spatial analysis methods. The results show that, firstly, the conservation objects of Chinese relics are being enriched and the scope of protection is being expanded, but that there is a lack of protection and utilization of urban heritage and its surrounding environment. Secondly, that the road network system and spatial structure of the pseudo-Manchukuo Xinjing city planning are basically preserved, that the urban green space and functional zoning have been changed, and that the architectural relics show a spatial distribution trend of north-north-east. Thirdly, that the urban functional zoning has been used to construct an urban relics protection area in which three suggestions for the protection of urban relics have been put forward: to establish a holistic protection system for urban planning functional areas; to establish a “district-axis-point” trinity protection model to promote the effective function recovery of urban planning and construction functional areas; and to continue the effective functions of the city. This provides reference for the study of modern urban planning ideas and solutions for current sustainable urban development, upgrading of public service facilities, and green low-carbon urban transformation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Planning and Analysis in Urban Sustainability)

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17 pages, 6537 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Benchmarking City Layouts—A Methodological Approach and an Accessibility Comparison between a Real City and the Garden City

by João Monteiro, Nuno Sousa, Eduardo Natividade-Jesus and João Coutinho-Rodrigues

Sustainability 2022, 14(9), 5029; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14095029 - 22 Apr 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2777

Abstract

This article presents a comparative accessibility study between a real city and its redraft as a Garden City. The benchmarking methodology involves defining and evaluating a location-based accessibility indicator in a GIS environment for the city of Coimbra, Portugal, and for the same city laid out as a Garden City, with the same number of inhabitants, jobs, and similar number of urban facilities. The results are derived as maps and weighted average distances per inhabitant to the facilities and jobs, and show that, for the Garden City, average distances drop to around 500 m for urban facilities and 1500 m for the combination of facilities and jobs, making much of the city accessible by walking and practically the whole of it accessible by cycling, with positive impact on transport sustainability and accessibility equity. The methodology can be extended to other benchmarking indicators and city layouts, and the quantitative results it yields make a valuable contribution to the debate on the ideal layout of cities. Moreover, it gives directions on how to improve real cities to address current and future sustainability concerns. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Planning and Analysis in Urban Sustainability)

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14 pages, 17694 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changes in Regional Economic Resilience after the 2008 Global Economic Crisis: The Case of Korea

by Seoyoung Yu and Donghyun Kim

Sustainability 2021, 13(20), 11392; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132011392 - 15 Oct 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1412

Abstract

This study investigated Korea’s regional economic resilience after the 2008 economic crisis and analyzed the spatial patterns therein from the perspective of evolution and engineering. We analyzed the employee statistics of 229 si-gun-gu (city-county-district) administrative units for the 2002–2016 period sourced from Business Census data using shift-share analysis, a panel data model, and exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA). According to the analysis, most regions showed resilience after the crisis, revealing various patterns within the economic regions. Regarding the capital area, there were more structural improvements in Gyeonggi-do than in Seoul. For other regions, there were also more structural improvements in and around metropolitan areas. When comparing the absolute levels of post-crisis employment, the capital area showed low employment resilience in the CBD, while areas where industries such as IT and finance were clustered showed great employment resilience. In addition, non-capital areas showed a significant recovery in the manufacturing areas. This means that regional inequalities in the process of responding to economic crises are likely to include both quantitative and qualitative aspects, and that policies that accompany more structural improvements should be implemented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Planning and Analysis in Urban Sustainability)

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22 pages, 1393 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Should There Be Industrial Agglomeration in Sustainable Cities?: A Perspective Based on Haze Pollution

by Pingping Dai and Yuanyuan Lin

Sustainability 2021, 13(12), 6609; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13126609 - 10 Jun 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2009

Abstract

Haze pollution is a problem that cannot be ignored in the process of building sustainable cities, and while shifting industrial enterprises can solve the problem at the root, it is not conducive to the sustainable development of urban economies. This paper discusses the role of industrial agglomeration on urban pollution amelioration (haze pollution) using a sample of 253 prefecture-level cities in China. The highlight of this paper is the study of economic and environmental factors in the development of sustainable cities in the same framework and a series of econometric treatments that greatly increase the accuracy of the empirical evidence. Research intuitively shows that China’s haze pollution is clustered in spatial distribution and is spatially heterogeneous in concentration. With the passage of time, haze pollution has a tendency to move from an H–H concentration area to an L–L concentration area. The regression results show that an increase in the scale of local industrial agglomeration will lead to a decrease in local haze pollution; but an increase in the scale of local industrial agglomeration will lead to an increase in haze pollution in adjacent areas. Industrial agglomeration has significant spatial spillover effects, which are spatially heterogeneous. In addition, spillover effects between regions are greater than those within regions. After replacing the spatial weight matrix and controlling the endogenous problem using the instrumental variable method, the conclusion is still robust. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Planning and Analysis in Urban Sustainability)

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