Contextualising Regional Identity and Imagination in the Construction of Polycentric Urban Regions: The Cases of the Ruhr Area and the Basque Country

Abstract

In this contribution, we aim at positioning and sharpening the concept of 'polycentric urban region' (PUR) by comparing it with preceding approaches to interurban interdependency and by discussing its potentials and pitfalls. The main outcome of the comparison is that the notion of a PUR constitutes a strategic rather than an analytical concept. To unravel the pros and cons of the concept of PUR, a link is made between the strategic interpretation of the PUR concept and the notion of regional identity. The argument put forward is that the strategic dimension of the PUR concept rests on, and mobilises, the identification of a region as an area with distinct morphological and functional characteristics, and a unique cultural identity. In practice, the way these strategic, functional and cultural dimensions interact varies between specific cases of PUR. Two examples are presented here. The Ruhr area in Germany shows how strategic action, supported by an existing functional integration and identity, is geared towards reshaping and mobilising the cultural identity. The Basque country reveals a reverse pattern, in which 'geo-strategic' considerations, fed by a strong cultural identity, shape and invoke functional images to support the concept of a 'Basque polynuclear system'. We end by discussing the possible success of PUR as a core concept in urban planning in western Europe.