Using the potential of photography to narrate the urban border: a case study in the XII Arrondissement of Paris

A neural network and landscape metrics to propose a flexible urban growth boundary: A case study

Modeling urban growth boundary based on the evaluation of the extension potential: A case study of Wuhan city in China

Under the background of rapid urbanization, we took the contradiction between the rapid urbanization and resource environment protection as the starting point, conducted some theoretical research on urban growth boundary. Based on the definition of urban development boundary, we took Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province as a typical instance. Firstly, this study delimited the ecological boundary as ecological basic constraint area, using the methods of ecological red line discrimination and ecological sensitivity evaluation. Furthermore, the MCE-CA model was used in simulating the city size in 2020, making some adjustments to the moderate and low ecological-sensitive areas in the eco-sensitivity assessing, and delimiting the size of urban growth boundary and elastic control zones. The results showed that the ecological constraint area with a total area of385.2 km2 and outside of the ecological boundary was the security line of urban development and construction. The urban growth boundary with a total area of 163.3 km2 was not only the spatial boundary that could be constructed now, but also could meet the future development and construction. The district between the ecological boundary and urban growth boundary was an elastic control zone, in which urban development activities were allowed, but the size of construction could not exceed 8.5% of the total urban development boundary area. Our results delimited the urban development boundary under the rigidity and elasticity, which could guide the urban space development and provide a theoretical reference for China.

Cities are filled with rich resources of fantasy and memories about the urban activities. Urban narrative is not only a way of storytelling but also a way to depict the contents of a story about the city. This paper depicts how a digital guide can be implemented in regarding with urban narratives by applying web-based and mobile technologies to navigate a cultural district and recall the experience. In this paper, we are concerned how to provide a digital platform for tourists to get related information in a cultural district during their visiting. A space tag approach is proposed to and system prototype is implemented for demonstration and discussion.

Accurate urban boundary data can directly reflect the expansion of urban space, help us accurately grasp the scale and form of urban space, and play a vital role in urban land development and policy-making. However, the lack of reliable multiscale and high-precision urban boundary data products and relevant training datasets has become one of the major factors hindering their application. The purpose of this study is to combine Sentinel-2 remote-sensing images and supplementary geographic data to generate a reliable high-precision urban boundary dataset for Henan Province (called HNUB2018). First, this study puts forward a clear definition of “urban boundary”. Using this concept as its basis, it proposes a set of operable urban boundary delimitation rules and technical processes. Then, based on Sentinel-2 remote-sensing images and supplementary geographic data, the urban boundaries of Henan Province are delimited by a visual interpretation method. Finally, the applicability of the dataset is verified by using a classical semantic segmentation deep learning model. The results show that (1) HNUB2018 has clear and rich detailed features as well as a detailed spatial structure of urban boundaries. The overall accuracy of HNUB2018 is 92.82% and the kappa coefficient reaches 0.8553, which is better than GUB (Henan) in overall accuracy. (2) HNUB2018 is well suited for deep learning, with excellent reliability and scientific validity. The research results of this paper can provide data support for studies of urban sprawl monitoring and territorial spatial planning, and will support the development of reliable datasets for fields such as intelligent mapping of urban boundaries, showing prospects and possibilities for wide application in urban research.

The objective of this study is to critically analyze the concept of the “Smart City” and its implications within the context of Shaggar. The study aims to explore the relationship between urban narratives and the empty signifiers associated with the “Smart City” concept, with a focus on understanding the underlying tensions and contradictions that arise during the implementation of smart urban initiatives. This study employs a qualitative research approach, utilizing a combination of document analysis, interviews, and observation techniques. Primary and secondary data sources, including official city plans, policy documents, media reports, and expert interviews, are used to gather information and insights. Thematic analysis is employed to identify recurring patterns and themes related to the “Smart City” concept, urban narratives, and empty signifiers in Shaggar. The findings of this study reveal that the “Smart City” concept in Shaggar is shaped by multiple urban narratives, including the discourse of technological progress, sustainability, and efficiency. However, the analysis also highlights the presence of empty signifiers, where the “Smart City” concept often lacks clear definitions, goals, and tangible outcomes. This disconnects between narratives and signifiers create tensions and challenges during the implementation of smart urban initiatives in Shaggar. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the “Smart City” concept in Shaggar is a complex amalgamation of urban narratives and empty signifiers. The presence of multiple narratives contributes to the allure and promise of the “Smart City” vision, while the lack of clear signifiers results in ambiguity and challenges during implementation. This study underscores the need for critical examination and contextual understanding when envisioning and implementing “Smart City” initiatives. Based on the findings, this study recommends that policymakers, urban planners, and stakeholders in Shaggar and similar contexts should prioritize the development of clear and context-specific definitions, goals, and metrics for “Smart City” initiatives. It is crucial to engage with local communities, incorporate their perspectives, and ensure transparency and accountability in the implementation process. Furthermore, interdisciplinary collaborations and continuous evaluation of projects are essential to address the tensions between narratives and signifiers and to promote more inclusive and sustainable smart urban development in Shaggar and beyond.

In the 1920s, the Japanese scholar Naito Konan put forward the famous theories of “the Song dynasty is the beginning of modern China” and “the cultural transformation was completed during the Tang and Song dynasties,” which exerted far-reaching influence in the academic circle. However, although full of the “numerous academic growth points and exuberant academic vitality, the theories have not been well explored and illustrated yet.”1 This paper, taking Liu Yong as a case study, is intended to provide concrete examples to Naito’s theories. The urban narrative in Liu Yong’s lyrics—the multi-role discourse practice of a prodigal poet, a talented lyricist, and a traveling official—inherited the discourse splitting trend of the late-Tang and Five dynasties and finished the transformation from the elite to the mass discourse. Accordingly, it set the narrative mode of amorous themes and discourse mode of “talented lyricist plus amorous affairs,” which exerted far-reaching influence on the construction of the new urban culture in the Song dynasty.

Accurately identifying and delineating urban boundaries are the premise for and foundation of the control of disorderly urban sprawl, which is helpful for us to accurately grasp the scale and form of cities, optimize the internal spatial structure and pattern of cities, and guide the expansion of urban spaces in the future. At present, the concept and delineation of urban boundaries do not follow a unified method or standard. However, many scholars have made use of multi-source remote sensing images of various scales and social auxiliary data such as point of interest (POI) data to achieve large-scale, high-resolution, and high-precision land cover mapping and impermeable water surface mapping. The accuracy of small- and medium-scale urban boundary mapping has not been improved to an obvious extent. This study uses multi-temporal Sentinel-2 high-resolution images and POI data that can reflect detailed features of human activities to extract multi-dimensional features and use random forests and mathematical morphology to map the urban boundaries of the city of Zhengzhou. The research results show that: (1) the urban construction land extraction model established with multi-dimensional features has a great improvement in accuracy; (2) when the training sample accounts for 65% of the sample data set, the urban construction land extraction model has the highest accuracy, reaching 96.25%, and the Kappa coefficient is 0.93; (3) the optimized boundary of structural elements with a size of 13 × 13 is selected, which is in good agreement in terms of scope and location with the boundary of FROM-GLC10 (Zhengzhou) and visual interpretations. The results from the urban boundary delineation in this paper can be used as an important database for detailed basic land use mapping within cities. Moreover, the method in this paper has some reference value for other cities in terms of delineating urban boundaries.

This study investigates the concept and boundaries of the urban boundary (scope) within the Saudi legal system, illuminating its definition as a policy for directing and controlling urban development. The urban scope is determined by outlining the appropriate boundaries for urban activities and accommodating urban growth within a specified timeframe. This approach aims to achieve the highest economic efficiency for available resources and realize the optimal size for cities and villages according to urban strategic directions. Furthermore, the study delves into the legal framework defining the urban boundary's limits, described as lines delineated on maps that illustrate the various stages of urban development and development protection limits. These boundaries are essential for locating urban activities and absorbing the growth of cities and villages over a specific period. The research highlights that the urban scope serves three primary purposes: directing and controlling urban development, providing public services and facilities efficiently, and achieving the optimal size for urban areas. The establishment of urban boundaries is depicted as a crucial step in preventing urban sprawl and ensuring orderly development. The study also addresses the impact of the urban boundary on preventing urban dispersion, noting that it contributes to reducing the financial costs associated with infrastructure development in low-density areas and addressing visual urban disfigurement. The urban scope's rules, issued by the Saudi government, play a significant role in limiting urban activities outside designated areas, thereby controlling urban sprawl and the spread of informal settlements. Overall, the research underscores the importance of the urban boundary in shaping the urban landscape of Saudi cities, highlighting its role in fostering sustainable urban development and preventing the adverse effects of unplanned urban expansion.

Predicting the expansion of urban boundary using space syntax and multivariate regression model

Delimitation of an urban growth boundary (UGB) can effectively curb disorderly urban expansion, optimize urban development space and protect the ecological environment. Eco-environmental sensitivity was evaluated and areas prohibiting construction expansion were extracted by establishing an index system. Point of interest (POI) and microblog data were utilized to analyze the expansion of residential activity space. Urban space expansion potential was calculated using a comprehensive evaluation model, and an urban growth boundary for Jinan in 2020 was delimited combining the predicted urban expansion scale. The results showed that: (1) An evaluation of eco-environmental sensitivity can effectively protect ecological land and provide an ecological basis for urban expansion. Regions with high eco-environmental sensitivities in Jinan are located along the banks of the Yellow River and Xiaoqing River and in southeast mountainous areas, but eco-environmental sensitivities in the central, north and southeast areas are relatively low; (2) The model to evaluate urban residential activity expansion can quantify the spatial distribution of urban residents' activities. Regions with high potential for residential activity space expansion in Jinan are mainly concentrated in the middle of Jinan and most are part of existing built-up areas and surrounding areas; (3) The method that delimits urban growth boundaries based on the coordination of ecology and residential activity space is reasonable. Spatial expansion in Jinan mainly extends towards the east and west wings, and the boundary conforms to the spatial strategy guiding Jinan's development and is consistent with the overall layout in related plans. Considering both ecological protection and the internal forces driving urban expansion, the method of urban growth boundary delimitation used in this study can provide a reference and practical help for studies and management of urban development in the new era.

Achieving compact urban development is an urban planning policy approach embedded in a range of urban growth management strategies typically found in Australasian and some North American cities. These approaches aim to counter the adverse impacts of urban sprawl by seeking to consolidate future growth within an urban boundary in existing ‘activity centres’ and along transit corridors. Delivering these outcomes, however, together with achieving quality residential environments and viable communities, has proved to be problematic, especially on suburban peripheries dominated by car-oriented, low-density development. This paper presents a case study of a development known as University Hill in the City of Whittlesea, some 18 kilometres from downtown Melbourne. The authors argue that University Hill is successful in achieving a higher density, mixed-use development, and a walkable, quality neighbourhood, indeed an activity centre of the type envisaged in urban growth management policies referred to. The paper draws on information provided by key stakeholders responsible for University Hill, interviewed by the authors: the developers, the professional consultants and the regulatory authorities at local and regional levels. The authors argue that the successful outcome is related to the shared visions of the stakeholders, their positive working relationships and sufficiently flexible urban planning processes, which gave the developers confidence to be innovative while responding to market conditions. The case study raises issues about the effectiveness of conformance-based urban planning in achieving its intended outcomes. The case study could provide a useful exemplar of a successful activity centre elsewhere. The authors argue that the key to this success lies in the process of implementation adopted, which has the potential to be replicated elsewhere.

In recent years, GIS and Remote Sensing technology has played a vital role in studying urban growth and development. This study is aimed to assess the effects of urban expansion on the surrounding land uses using GIS and Remote Sensing in Debre Tabor Town. Remote sensing data or products such as Aerial photograph (1984), Quick Bird Satellite Image (2000), and Aerial photograph (2016) were used to compute spatial or temporal changes of land use land cover due to urban expansion. ERDAS Imagine and Arc GIS software were used to analyze, model and map the data. The study revealed a significant change in urban boundary and urban land-use land cover between 1984 and 2016. The urban boundary expansion rate between the years 1984 and 2000 was 69.06%, higher than the rate experienced thereafter to the year 2016 (18.86%). However, for the last thirty-two years, between 1984 and 2016, the overall boundary increasement of almost eighty one percent (81.4) was very magnificent. The study also indicated that the area experiencing rapid increase in built-up areas (80.93 %), and agricultural land (23.81%). However, sharp decrease of forest by 36.07%, and open land by 65.02% was seen in the same periods of years. Built-up area expansion was found to have increased by expanding the urban boundary at the expense of open land, agricultural land, and forests. Therefore, integrating GIS and remote sensing technology for urban expansion mapping is a worthy method. Hence, it is recommended that it will be cost effective if the results of this study will be incorporated into ongoing urban planning and land use by concerned bodies.

The relevance of the chosen topic lies in the increasing delegation of both own and delegated powers to local government bodies in the field of urban planning activities. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive legal analysis of the urban planning activities of local government bodies and the impact of such activities on the state of the surrounding natural environment. The research utilised formal-logical, prognostic, and systemic-structural methods. The results obtained indicate that the urban planning activities of local government bodies comprise a set of actions and decisions undertaken by these bodies in prescribed forms using appropriate methods and legal instruments. The activities are aimed at coordinating the actions of participants in urban planning legal relations to create the most comfortable and convenient living environment for people. The effectiveness of urban planning activities by local government bodies largely depends on their ability to integrate ecological priorities into management processes at all stages of planning and project implementation. The conducted research confirms that the implementation of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) should not only ensure compliance with legislative requirements but also fulfil a predictive function in assessing risks to the environment and public health. In the current context of increasing anthropogenic pressure, urbanisation stress, and environmental challenges caused by the consequences of war, such assessment is a key element in ensuring the sustainable development of territories. It enables not only the minimisation of potential negative impacts of urban planning activities but also promotes the development of a responsible approach to natural resources by local authorities, developers, and the public. The findings of this study may be utilised in the development of legislative acts in the field of spatial and urban planning activities

Managing the challenges of competing interests of different regions in setting the boundaries of neighboring urban areas: the case of Addis Ababa city administration and oromia regional state, Ethiopia