Residential landscapes in suburban China from the perspective of growth coalitions: Evidence from Beijing

Abstract

Residential landscapes in China manifest characteristics different from those seen in Western countries: high density, facilities improvement, and good quality. This study investigates residential landscape by developing a novel framework to capture a growth coalition that is composed of local government and real estate enterprises. Stemming from institutional insights, this study assumes that the growth coalition in China attempts to acquire residential land far from built-up areas to reduce costs, increase the floor area ratio and the green rate, and promote accessibility and walkability to improve housing prices. Taking Beijing as a case, we first identify the residential expansion type (renewal, infill, edge, outlying). Then, two models are created: the land acquisition cost model and the housing price model. The results provide a good argument in support of our hypothesis. This study contributes institutional knowledge to support an understanding of residential landscapes and urban sustainability in China.