Abstract
Regional growth management has become a significant component of sustainable urban land development in many European metropolitan areas. Particularly in rapidly growing metropolitan regions, increasing population and job numbers require strategic planning management, but there is little knowledge about which planning instruments influence or direct these processes most effectively. Based on an analysis of spatial development in the Zürich metropolitan region, particularly in suburban areas, over the past several decades, this article examines the opportunities for the infill, revitalization and retrofitting of suburban business locations as key elements of growth management. In doing so, this article focuses on one central question: To what extent does (cantonal) regional planning and its specific instruments (cantonal structure plan) influence and control the spatial development and urban design quality in the retrofitting of suburban locations? The Glattal region was chosen as a case study as it experienced a significant change in terms of its urban structure during the last 10–15 years. In this context, suburban service locations were examined and analysed in depth using two case studies. The Hochbord area in Dübendorf and the Glattpark area in Opfikon demonstrate the conversion of formerly mono-functional areas (Hochbord) to mixed-use neighbourhoods and the development of new mixed-use locations (Glattpark). The article demonstrates how the suburban office stock transformed to strategic spots for mixed-use in both locations and explores how the retrofitting process could be directed at the cantonal level. In this context, spatial planning instruments at the regional level, such as the cantonal structure plan, seem to play a significant role in the transformation of the urban periphery.
Highlights
In recent decades, many cities across the world with metropolitan functions and regional expansion have experienced a strong influx of people and companies and a concomitant expansion of settlement structures
Suburban locations of the Zwischenstadt (“in-between city”) (Sieverts, 1997) consist of the same basic elements, but significant differences appear in their local differentiation (Aring & Heffert, 2001; Roost, 2013)
Based on previous research on the redevelopment of suburban service areas in the Frankfurt Rhine/Main region, this article examines the metropolitan area of Zürich to determine whether growth management in terms of inner development, structural densification and mixed-use of the core areas offer the opportunity to integrate former suburban locations more effectively into the regional spatial structure and to transform them into more integrated areas
Summary
Many cities across the world with metropolitan functions and regional expansion have experienced a strong influx of people and companies and a concomitant expansion of settlement structures. Based on previous research on the redevelopment of suburban service areas in the Frankfurt Rhine/Main region, this article examines the metropolitan area of Zürich to determine whether growth management in terms of inner development, structural densification and mixed-use of the core areas offer the opportunity to integrate former suburban locations more effectively into the regional spatial structure and to transform them into more integrated areas. This article focuses on how regional planning and its specific instruments (structure plans) can contribute to the requalification of suburban locations It is based on different qualitative approaches that include partially standardized qualitative interviews with key actors at different spatial levels (canton, city and specific locations or projects; n = 15, see Table 1) that were conducted from September to October 2015 and between March and April 2017.
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