本课题以流空间理论和方法为主要依据，以世界城市理论和城市群理论为支撑，以大数据及其方法为手段，借鉴国际已有巨型城市区理论和全球典型巨型城市区发展实践，研究巨型城市区地理形成、功能发展、空间演进及其阶段特征，从全球、国家和城市区三个尺度剖析巨型城市区形态演化、结构转换、功能变迁、空间拓展、网络组织等的演进规律，揭示其作用机理和基本动力。结合我国巨型城市区发展特质，基于流空间构建既反映巨型城市区一般规律又体现中国本土特色的巨型城市区理论框架。并据以研究我国巨型城市区发展影响因素和动力机制，剖析其机遇、挑战、潜力和问题。参考拓展美欧等国推进巨型城市区发展思路、经验、政策和相关做法，切合国家空间战略布局和新型城镇化推进需要，从全球宏观视野和亚国家中观尺度结合角度，研究我国巨型城市区空间战略、发展重点、总体思路和实现路径，设计提升我国巨型城市区在全球巨型城市区网络体系中核心竞争优势的发展政策框架。

This project, essentially based on the theory and methodology of space of flows, world city theory and urban agglomeration theory, and employing big data and its methods, taking the existed mega-city region theory and the development experience of typical mega-city regions in globe, will research the geographical formation, functional development, spatial evolution and their periodic characteristics. The project will, from perspectives of global, national as well as city region, analyze the evolution processes of the urban morphological evolution, structure shift, functional change, spatial expansion, and network organization, in which aims to reveal the internal mechanism and basic driver force for the mega-city region development. Considering the traits of mega-city region development in China, and based on the theory of space of flows, the project will construct a new theoretical framework for mega-city region analysis in which both general rules and Chinese characteristic are embodied. Referring to the theoretical framework, the project will further study the determinants and driver mechanism of the mega-city regions’ development, and dissect the opportunities, challenges, potential and obstacles the mega-city regions will meet. Referring to and expanding the development ideas, experiences, policies and operational modes in the mega-city regions in the United States and Western European, to meet the need for the strategic layout of national territory and new-type urbanization promotion, the project will, considering both perspectives of global and sub-national scales, study the spatial strategy, development priority, general course and route map of the development of mega-city regions in China, and design the policy framework to promote the key competitive advantages for the mega-city regions in China among the global mega-city region network system.