remote sensing Article Assessing Urbanization Dynamics in Turkey’s Marmara Region Using CORINE Data between 2006 and 2018 Özlem Altınkaya Genel 1,2 and ChengHe Guan 3,4,* 1 Kenniscentrum NoorderRuimte, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen Zernikeplein 1, 9747 AS Groningen, The Netherlands;
[email protected] 2 Faculty of Architecture and Design, Özye˘ginUniversity, Orman Sk.13, Istanbul˙ 34794, Turkey 3 Arts and Sciences, New York University Shanghai, 1555 Century Avenue, Pudong New District, Shanghai 200122, China 4 Shanghai Key Laboratory of Urban Renewal and Spatial Optimization Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200122, China * Correspondence:
[email protected] Abstract: This study investigated the urban growth dynamics of urban regions. The study area was the Marmara Region, one of the most densely populated and ecologically diverse areas in Turkey. Using CORINE land cover data for 2006, 2012, and 2018, the study utilized multiple correspondence analyses and cluster analyses, to analyze land cover changes. The resulting maps, visualized in GIS, revealed the rapid urban transformation of the regional structure, formerly comprised of four distinct areas, into a more complex structure, in which densification and sprawl occur simultaneously. Our findings demonstrated a dissonance between the spatial dynamics of the Marmara Region during the study period, and the capacity and scope of the simultaneously initiated regional policies and mega-projects. This uncoordinated approach has endangered the region’s sustainable development. The paper, therefore, discusses the importance of land use planning and transboundary collaboration Citation: Genel, Ö.A.; Guan, C. for sustainable regional development. Beyond the local case, the results contribute to critical theories Assessing Urbanization Dynamics in in regional planning by linking theory and practice.