Analysis of Informal Dynamics in Mega Urban Areas – Based on Spatial Structure and Steering Mechanisms Focused on Water in the Pearl River Delta

Abstract

Chinese cities became one of the most dynamic urban areas worldwide within last decades.
By economic liberalisation in some special economic zones the mega-urban area of Perl River Delta became one of the dynamic regions in China. Rapid economic growth and immense population pressure led to special structural characteristics and high environmental impacts. The interdisciplinary and international work group, composed by urban geography, hydrogeology and landscape architecture, provides new approaches for investigating the structures and the steering mechanisms of urban development. In order to reduce in a first step the complex processes related to the development of highly dynamic mega urban areas we take flows of the resource 'water' and water management as an example and, secondly, subdivide the large urban agglomeration into smaller units. Within these different types of 'urban cells' in-depth analysis of various socioeconomic, morphological and ecological structures as well as agency structures and mechanisms become feasible. The analysis of the informal influences on formal structures and the appropriate reciprocity between different 'urban cells' and their surrounding urban spaces respectively is intended to provide further knowledge about the actual processes and adapted governance systems in the overall mega urban area. The analysis of these processes will be related to water resources in terms of quality and quantity aspects.

Major Goals

Analysis of the processes related to the development of highly complex, mega urban settlement areas in the Perl River delta by the example of the resource 'water'.

Description of the influence of local parameters on formal settlement structures.

Deflection of knowledge for future decisions regarding to urban extensions and respectively to the change of existing settlement parts

Analysis of the interaction between informality, structural classes and water situation

Research Objectives

Analysis of structure of the Pearl River Delta

Classification and specification of land use in the Pearl River Delta

Differentiation of city morphology

Differentiation of spatial settlement types

Analysis of socioeconomic and sociocultural structures and actions at the micro-level

Buildup a water balance

Development of a Hydro-database (including current situation regarding water in the different classification types

Research Team

RWTH Aachen University, Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering, Dept. of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology

Prof. Dr. Rafig Azzam, Phone: +49-241-80-95741; Email: azzam(at)lih.rwth-aachen.de
Dr. Klaus Baier, Phone: +49-241-80-96771; Email: baier(at)lih.rwth-aachen.de
Dipl.-Geogr. Lin Lu; Email: lu(at)lih.rwth-aachen.de
Ramona Strohschön, M.A., Phone: +49-241-80-96782; Email: strohschoen(at)lih.rwth-aachen.de

RWTH Aachen University, Faculty of Architecture, Dept. of Landscape Architecture

Prof. Christian Krause, Phone: +49-241-80-95050; Email: krause(at)la.rwth-aachen.de
Dipl.-Ing. Florian Kluge, Phone: +49-241-80-95053; Email: kluge(at)la.rwth-aachen.de
Dipl.-Ing. Katharina Wiethoff, Phone: +49-241-80-95053; Email: katharina_wiethoff(at)web.de

University of Kiel, Department of Geography

Prof. Rainer Wehrhahn; Phone: +49-431-8802474; Email: wehrhahn(at)geographie.uni-kiel.de
Dipl.-Geogr. Anna Lena Bercht; Phone: +49-0431-8801781; Email: bercht(at)geographie.uni-kiel.de