A Strategic Knowledge and Research Agenda on Polycentric Metropolitan Areas Source: Shutterstock 63084790 A Strategic Knowledge and Research Agenda on Polycentrism Contents 1 Introduction 15 1.1 From City to Polycentric Metropolitan Area 15 1.2 The Polycentric Metropolitan Area: towards a definition 16 1.3 Polycentric metropolitan areas: a widespread phenomenon 18 1.4 The need for a Practice Led Research Agenda 21 1.5 Methodology to develop the agenda 23 1.6 Structure of the Research Agenda 23 2 Polycentric metropolitan areas: key concept in regional development policy 25 2.1 European policy context 25 2.2 National and regional policy context 27 2.3 Challenges from the EU and national perspective 28 3 Polycentric metropolitan areas: scientific state of the art 31 European Metropolitan network Institute 3.1 Introduction 31 3.2 Applied European research projects on Polycentric Development 31 Laan van N.O. Indië 300 3.3 State of the art in research on polycentric metropolitan areas 33 2593 CE The Hague 3.4 Challenges identified by researchers 40 Postbus 90750 2509 LT The Hague 4 Polycentric metropolitan areas in Europe in practice: viewpoints of urban professionals 45 Phone +31(0)70 344 09 66 Fax +31(0)70 344 09 67 4.1 Introduction 45 Email [email protected] 4.2 Selection of cities, respondents and response 45 Website www.emi-network.eu 4.3 Results 46 4.4 Conclusion: challenges for urban practitioners 54 Authors: Dr. Evert Meijers (programme manager) 5 Introduction to the case studies 55 Koen Hollander, MSc Marloes Hoogerbrugge, MSc 5.1 Cases 55 5.2 Selection criteria 55 5.3 Structure of the case studies 55 The responsibility for the contents of this report lies with European Metropolitan 6 Linköping-Norrköping 57 network Institute. Quoting numbers or text in papers, essays and books is permitted 6.1 Introduction to the region 57 only when the source is clearly mentioned. 6.2 Strategies for regional cooperation and integration 60 No part of this publication may be copied 6.3 State of integration 61 and/or published in any form or by any 6.4 SWOT analysis 64 means, or stored in a retrieval system, 6.5 Conclusions 65 without the prior written permission of EMI. Polyentric Metropolitan Areas in Europe 4 5 Polycentric Metropolitan Areas in Europe 7 Porto Metropolitan Area 67 12 Synthesis case studies 139 7.1 Introduction to the region 67 12.1 Metropolitan development strategies 139 7.2 Strategies for regional cooperation and integration 71 12.2 Spatial-functional integration 139 7.3 State of integration 72 12.3 Cultural dimension 140 7.4 SWOT analysis 76 12.4 Institutional dimension 141 7.5 Conclusions 77 12.5 Challenges and questions addressed by urban practitioners 142 8 Milan Metropolitan Area 79 13 Knowledge & Research Agenda 145 8.1 Introduction to the region 79 13.1 ‘Metropolisation’ 145 8.2 Strategies for regional cooperation and integration 81 13.2 A research agenda on polycentric metropolitan areas 147 8.3 State of integration 85 13.3 Conclusion 149 8.4 SWOT analysis 91 8.5 Conclusions 92 14 References 151 9 Tri-City Region (Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot) 95 Annex 1: List of interviewees case studies 157 9.1 Introduction to the region 95 9.2 Strategies for regional cooperation and integration 96 9.3 State of integration 100 9.4 SWOT analysis 105 Annex 2: Respondents questionnaire 161 9.5 Conclusions 106 10 Case study Mitteldeutschland 107 10.1 Introduction to the region 107 10.2 Strategies for regional cooperation and integration 109 10.3 State of integration 113 10.4 SWOT analysis 119 10.5 Conclusions 120 11 Rotterdam – The Hague Metropolitan Area 121 11.1 Introduction to the region 121 11.2 Strategies for regional cooperation and integration 123 11.3 State of integration 127 11.4 SWOT analysis 135 11.5 Conclusions 136 Polyentric Metropolitan Areas in Europe 6 7 Polycentric Metropolitan Areas in Europe Management Summary Polycentric metropolitan areas – lieved to be helpful in avoiding typical costs Polycentric metropolitan areas are collec- of agglomeration such as congestion, crime tions of historically distinct and both admin- and socio-economic disparities. istratively and politically independent cities located in close proximity and well-connect- Research challenge – However, research ed through infrastructure. They have poten- is not conclusive as regards these assumed tial for further integration, which would al- potentialities. Many theories and methods in low reaping the benefits of agglomeration in scientific research have been developed with a network of cities. The coalescing of cities the increasingly obsolete image of ‘the sin- into regional metropolitan entities results gle city surrounded by a rural hinterland’ in from either a process of ‘incorporation’, mind. These theories and methods do not when dominant cities extend their sphere of acknowledge the fact that metropolitan ar- influence over ever larger territories, there- eas nowadays are often formed by collec- by incorporating once independent smaller tions of such once independent, but now cities, or, it results from the ‘fusion’ of close- increasingly interwoven cities. This implies ly located cities as a result of the continuing that studying polycentric metropolitan areas spatial scaling up of the behaviour of people requires the development of new theories and firms. and perspectives. Over the last one and a half decade, when research into polycentric An increasingly dominant urban form metropolitan areas started to expand, much – Using conservative standards, the number of the attention of researchers has been of people living in polycentric metropolitan devoted to conceptual and agenda-setting areas in Europe amounts to 166,6 million. issues. It is time to move on towards a more This is 48,5% of the total urban population critical examination of their performance in in Europe. At a more fine-grained spatial order to arrive at empirically justified devel- scale, many more such polycentric metro- opment strategies for polycentric metropoli- politan areas are identifiable, resulting in tan areas. polycentric metropolitan areas becoming the dominant urban form in Europe. Objective EMI’s Knowledge and Research Agenda – So far, important Policy challenge – Over the past decade, knowledge questions as regards the pro- polycentric metropolitan areas have become cesses at play in polycentric metropolitan an increasingly widespread but relatively areas and how these affect metropolitan new policy issue at the European, national performance remain largely unanswered. and regional levels. There are high expecta- EMI’s knowledge and research agenda on tions when it comes to integrated develop- ‘Polycentric Metropolitan Areas’ presents the ment of polycentric metropolitan areas. For main challenges derived from the transition example, it is often assumed that the cities from single, monocentric cities to polycentric constituting such polycentric metropolitan metropolitan areas and the knowledge areas are more competitive because they needs that emerge from these challenges. gain political and economic mass. At the Confrontation of these needs with the cur- same time, a polycentric structure is be- rent scientific state of the art resulted in a Polyentric Metropolitan Areas in Europe 8 9 Polycentric Metropolitan Areas in Europe research agenda that will help make stakeholders representing government, Figure I Themes that cities want to have addressed by research to help European cities and their metropolitan areas firms and universities. them guide and improve future metropolitan development more competitive and sustainable, and will enhance the well-being of their citizens and Results roundtable and review scientific the productivity of their firms. Leading prin- literature – The roundtable and review of ciple in defining this knowledge and research the scientific literature have made clear that agenda has been ‘research based, practice in the upcoming years much progress can led’. be made if efforts concentrate on (1) sub- stantiating the many claims made about Methodology – EMI’s Knowledge and polycentricity, (2) analysing metropolitan Research Agenda on Polycentric governance, (3) empirically exploring dy- Metropolitan Areas is based on extensive namics in the functional geography of input of both urban practitioners and aca- polycentric metropolitan areas, and (4) get- demic researchers. This data and informa- ting a better understanding of the institu- tion was organized by means of a variety of tionalisation of such regions and how people methods. We analysed the position of identify with these. It will be crucial for re- polycentric metropolitan areas in contem- searchers to be able to visualize the positive porary policy strategies across Europe and and negative effects of further integration studied the scientific literature on polycen- between cities in polycentric metropolitan tric metropolitan areas. A roundtable with areas, and how these can have different prominent key experts (Prof. Wim impacts on individual cities. Scientific pro- Hafkamp; Prof. Sir Peter Hall; Mr. Jaap gress can only be made if and when the Modder; Prof. Hugo Priemus; Prof. many theories, concepts, models and meth- polycentric metropolitan areas all across cities in polycentric metropolitan areas are Catherine Ross; Prof. Alain Thierstein) was ods, once developed with the in some re- Europe. integrated is very much dependent on the organized during the annual conference of spects outdated image of the monocentric (time) distance between the cities, as well the Regional Studies