1,722,103 research outputs found
From compactness to what? Long-term population trends in six large Mediterranean cities
No full textA comparative analysis of the recent urban expansion in six large regions of southern Europe (Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Naples and Athens) is presented in this paper, with the aim of assessing the magnitude of the shift from 'dense growth' towards 'diffusion'. The investigated cities were chosen as paradigmatic examples of compact and mono-centric cities in transition towards a polycentric form. A Multiway Factor Analysis (MFA) supplemented with descriptive statistics and correlation analysis of more than 30 morphological and demographic indicators covering the period from 1950 to 2000 was undertaken to define the demographic trajectory of the six cities. Different trends in urban expansion were identified and the six cities classified accordingly. Results indicate that 'concentration' and 'diffusion' long-term dynamics diverged in the examined regions, suggesting that there is not a common 'Mediterranean' style in recent urban expansion. In contrast, urban trajectories mainly depend on the specific demographic phase (growth vs. decline) and the 'densification vs. depopulation' pattern observed at local scale. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC
Rediscovering the anatomy of urban growth. The spatio-temporal evolution of building activity in a Mediterranean city
No full textThe impact of building cycles on recent expansions of Athens was assessed under the hypothesis that non-linear paths of urban growth result from sequential phases of economic growth and decline. Changes over time in building activity were examined by considering indicators derived from a local-scale analysis of building permits issued by Greek municipalities between 1990 and 2016. Relevant socioeconomic forces shaping spatio-temporal variability in building activity were identified by analyzing contextual indicators through inferential techniques and multivariate analysis. The results showed distinctive responses of real-estate local markets to economic cycles at the local scale in Athens, allowing for identification of short-term and long-term urban dynamics characteristic of expansion and recession waves. The most sensitive indicators to economic cycles in Athens were density of new buildings, average floors per new building, density of building additions, and number of building permits per inhabitant. Infrastructure-driven development, as a result of the 2004 Olympic Games, has produced relevant alterations in short-term patterns in the construction market, resulting in spatially-complex urbanization trends. The author concludes that local-scale indicators derived from building permit data provide insights into progressively complex dynamics of urban growth, with implications for regional planning and the design of sustainable development practices
From sprawl to compactness and back: population dynamics (1848–2011) and the economic structure of a Mediterranean city
No full textIn the recent decades southern European cities experienced morphological changes and a demographic transition towards zero (or negative) growth and aging. Population dynamics shifted from the impressive growth of the post-industrial period into recent de-concentration processes determining the spillover of commercial and residential settlements across the surrounding rural areas. Based on long-term demographic data, the present study hypothesizes that urban expansion did not follow a one-way linear path from compactness to dispersion while reflecting differentiated growth patterns based on the specific socioeconomic context at the local scale. Along a sufficiently long time period non-linear expansion waves alternating settlement densification and scattering are expected to be found especially in complex urban contexts such as those developed in the Mediterranean region. This hypothesis was tested for a paradigmatic case study in southern Europe (Athens, Greece) using demographic data covering 160 years (1848–2011). Urban growth in Athens was assessed through the analysis of long-term census data made available on a district level. These data provide information on the spatial distribution of resident population and characterize distinct expansion waves according to the dominant socioeconomic context. Results of the study were discussed in the light of the debate on future development of the Mediterranean cities and the (changing) economic relations with the surrounding region
Neither ordinary nor global: a reflection on the ‘extra-ordinary’ expansion of Athens
No full textAs part of the debate on Mediterranean urbanities in between ‘ordinary’ and ‘global’ cities, the present paper proposes a reflection on Athens’ long-term expansion seen as a paradigmatic example of urban development in southern Europe. The article debates economic restructuring, demographic processes, and social changes taken as determinants of the shift in the city’s morphology towards urban dispersion. By reconnecting socioeconomic dynamics into a multidisciplinary perspective, the author engages in a debate on the future of large Mediterranean cities in between settlement expansion and crisis
Land Degradation: A Socioecological Perspective
No full textLand degradation raises interesting research issues, when defining related processes in their conceptual and quantitative aspects, and when studying implications on natural resources and ecosystems. Understanding land degradation requires a multidisciplinary approach, in view of the different processes involved, as well as the acquisition of a considerable amount of basic information. Land degradation can evolve into an irreversible phase of 'desertification'. This term, although bringing the root 'desert' back to the foreground, should not be understood as a 'generator of deserts'; in many countries geographically far from desertic areas, it is possible to find latent conditions of desertification. Land degradation becomes manifest only when it is too late to withdraw from the irreversible conditions that were generated (Salvati et al., 2008a, 2009). According to United Nations data sources, a worrying picture emerges: 70% of arid arable land, corresponding to about 30% of total land, is affected by land degradation (Salvati et al., 2008b). Given the serious effects on populations and environments, the problem is particularly relevant in Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean. However, countries with structurally strong economies (e.g., United States, Australia, Japan and Europe) are also affected by land degradation, whose genesis and evolution, although attributable to a patchwork of different causes, appears unequivocally connected and reinforced by climate change
Introduction: A mediterranean perspective to (evolving) city-regions
No full textRenewed theoretical frameworks for planning, permanent monitoring and quantitative indicators based on official statistics, geographic information systems and remote sensing allow an inclusive and holistic representation of socioeconomic systems worldwide. By specifically focusing on metropolitan regions, we offer a comprehensive analysis and interpretation of socioeconomic and territorial processes hampering spatial planning in Southern Europe, offering a theoretical and practical overview of topics and problems of great interest in the urban debate. Cities in the most advanced economies are progressively abandoning spatially additive, radio-centric patterns of urban expansion. The notion of ‘city-regions’ is meaningful for the understanding of contemporary urban agglomerations and modern patterns of urban growth, adopting a specific, ‘Mediterranean’ perspective. Understanding the reasons and causes behind this transition provides functional for a better comprehension of economic dynamics in Europe. Addressing the role of sustainability and resilience for urban management, we offer a thorough reflection on how to manage large city-regions and to support the planning practices and governing action of policy makers and stakeholders. Through practical examples and case studies, the book finally proposes new statistics, indicators, and interpretative approaches, stimulating a thorough reflection on interrelation and complexity of local development mechanisms from different disciplinary perspectives
Oltre lo 'Stereotipo': per una (nuova) interpretazione dell’urbanizzazione Mediterranea?
No full textQuesto contributo formula un quadro delle dinamiche di espansione urbana delle città Mediterranee come esempi applicabili ad altre regioni con caratteristiche socio-economiche simili. Viene proposta un’interpretazione del Mediterraneo urbano legata soprattutto alla governance locale, in un’ottica di riduzione dei divari territoriali, con particolare attenzione ai valori culturali, paesaggistici e ambientali come chiave di lettura per una "nuova" regione urbana meridionale. Si intende ricomporre una matrice interpretativa comune a diverse forme di città che si proiettano sul territorio circostante secondo tendenze variegate, che una politica di piano "Mediterranea" riesce a cogliere solo in parte. Il lavoro si conclude con una discussione sulle traiettorie di sviluppo future, sottolineando la divergenza nel breve periodo ma anche il destino comune nel lungo termine. Classificazion
Land Degradation, Rural Poverty and the Socieconomic Context in the Mediterranean Region: A Brief Commentary
No full textPopulation distribution and urban growth in Southern Italy, 1871–2011: emergent polycentrism or path-dependent monocentricity?
No full textDesertification and territory: A way to evaluate policy approaches
No full textIl degrado delle terre è influenzato da condizioni ecologiche e socioeconomiche in rapido mutamento. Questo studio stima il livello di sensibilità del territorio italiano negli anni 1990 e 2000 sulla base di indicatori socio-economici ed ambientali valutando la possibile influenza di un set di più di dieci variabili di risposta, che rappresentano possibili risposte di governance integrata. A fronte di un incremento del livello di sensibilità, le variabili di risposta selezionate sono risultate solo parzialmente associate a questo processo, suggerendo la necessità di una migliore sincronia delle politiche ambientali e socio-economiche a scala locale per migliorare l'efficienza di strategie efficaci nella mitigazione di fenomeni complessi quali la desertificazione nel bacino Mediterraneo. Copyright © FrancoAngeli
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