The Polycentric Metropolis: Learning from Mega-City Regions in EuropeA new 21st century urban phenomenon is emerging: the networked polycentric mega-city region. Developed around one or more cities of global status, it is characterized by a cluster of cities and towns, physically separate but intensively networked in a complex spatial division of labour. This book describes and analyses eight such regions in North West Europe. For the first time, this work shows how businesses interrelate and communicate in geographical space - within each region, between them, and with the wider world. It goes on to demonstrate the profound consequences for spatial planning and regional development in Europe - and, by implication, other similar urban regions of the world. The Polycentric Metropolis introduces the concept of a mega-city region, analyses its characteristics, examines the issues surrounding regional identities, and discusses policy ramifications and outcomes for infrastructure, transport systems and regulation. Packed with high quality maps, case study data and written in a clear style by highly experienced authors, this will be an insightful and significant analysis suitable for professionals in urban planning and policy, environmental consultancies, business and investment communities, technical libraries, and students in urban studies, geography, economics and town/spatial planning. |
Contents
Analysing the Polycentric Metropolis Quantifying the MegaCity Region | 17 |
Understanding the Polycentric Metropolis Actors Networks Regions | 88 |
Visiting the Polycentric Metropolis Regional Identities Regional Policies | 122 |
Planning Europolis The Effectiveness of Policy | 195 |
The Web Survey | 212 |
The Interview Questionnaires | 213 |
217 | |
225 | |
Other editions - View all
The Polycentric Metropolis: Learning from Mega-City Regions in Europe Peter Hall,Kathy Pain Limited preview - 2012 |
Common terms and phrases
advanced producer services advertising agglomeration airport Amsterdam analysis APS firms banking Basel Brussels business services Business travel cent Central Belgium Chapter clients cluster Cologne communication competition concentration cooperation core deconcentration dominated Dortmund Dublin region Düsseldorf e-mail economic eight MCRs employment EMR Northern Switzerland ESDP evidence face-to-face contact federal Figure financial services Frankfurt functional polycentricity FURs gateway GaWC geographical global city Greater Dublin region growth important interviews intra-firm intra-regional knowledge economy labour linkages logistics London major management consultancy mega-city mega-city region monocentric North Rhine-Westphalia North West Europe operate Paris Paris Region patterns population proximity Randstad Regional Planning relationships Rhine-Main RhineRuhr role Rotterdam scope firms service firms South East England space of flows spatial development spatial planning strategy structure territorial Thames Gateway Thierstein transport infrastructure urban centres urban regions world cities Zürich