The polycentricity of German metropolitan areas - development of a remote sensing-based approach for measuring morphological polycentricity

多中心都市圈的出现是近30年来城市化地区最显著的结构性变化之一。国际研究将目前西方工业国城市地区的中心描述为围绕中心和副中心组织的复杂的、功能性的工作共享网络。到目前为止，还没有关于德国从单中心聚落结构向多中心聚落结构转变过程的系统研究证据。这是因为很难对城市和区域中心系统进行实证描述。在此背景下，本研究方案的目的是分析德国大都市圈多中心城市结构的现状和历史发展。为此目的，一套新的方法工具旨在提供关于城市化区域内中心性布局的信息，主要处理建筑空间的形态特征。根据详细的就业数据和高分辨率遥感信息，拟议的工作流程预计将产生选定研究地区的三维结构模型，能够揭示多中心的程度。该项目对有关大都市转型过程及其对城市形态的影响的实证研究作出了重大贡献。此外，它的目的是通过分析定义“中心”的地点和设施的特征来解释潜在过程的根本原因。两个在城市研究和遥感方面有良好记录的申请者的合作是成功实施该项目的重要先决条件。

The emergence of polycentric metropolitan regions has been one of the most significant structural changes of urbanized regions throughout the last 30 years. International research describes current centers in city regions of Western industrial countries as a complex, functionally work-sharing network organized around centers and sub-centers. To date, there is no systematic research evidence about the progress of this transformation process from monocentric to polycentric settlement structures in Germany. This is due to the difficult empirical representation of urban and regional central systems. Against this background, the objective of this research proposal is to analyze the current state of polycentricity and the historical development of polycentric urban structures in selected German metropolitan areas. For this purpose, a new methodological set of instruments aims to deliver information on the layout of centrality within urbanized regions, addressing mainly morphological characteristics of built-up spaces. Based on detailed employment data and high-resolution remote sensing information, the proposed workflow is expected to result in a three-dimensional structural model of selected study areas, capable of revealing the degree of polycentricity. The project contributes substantially to empirical research related to metropolitan transformation processes and their effects on urban form. In addition, it aims to explain root causes of the underlying processes by analyzing the characteristics of the locations and facilities that define a “center”. The cooperation of two applicants with a proven track record in urban research and remote sensing is an important prerequisite for the successful implementation of this project.