302,265 research outputs found

    The city as one thing

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    This paper summarises the latest theories in the field of space syntax. It opens with a discussion of the relationship between the form of urban grids and the process of how cities are formed by human activity; this is done by a comprehensive review of space syntax theory from its starting point in the1970s. The paper goes on to present research into how cities balance the micro-economic factors which shape the spatial structure of cities with the cultural factors that shape the underlying form of residential areas. It goes on to discuss the relationship between activity and space and how this relationship is formed by the way different activities make different demands on movement and co-presence. The paper ends with a discussion regarding the manner in which patterns of spatial integration influence the location of different classes and social groups in the city and contribute to the pathology of housing estates. The paper concludes that spatial form needs to be understood as a contributing factor in forming the patterns of integration and segregation in cities

    Urban dynamics in the Flemish countryside: a comparative study on morphological patterns and local economy dynamics

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    The article examines two aspects of urbanisation in the rural areas of Flanders, the northern part of Belgium. On the one hand, the evolution of the built environment is studied in terms of built-up density and the corresponding morphological sprawl pattern, from the beginning of the 19th century up until now. On the other hand, the economy dynamics in the rural areas are investigated. This shift in economic activities can be seen as part of a broader urbanisation process, with aspects such as tertiarisation and broadening of agriculture. The main driving factors behind these transformations are discussed based on literature study. It becomes clear that urbanisation of the countryside is the combined result of economic, physical, cultural and political evolutions. The comparative study in eight case municipalities with different spatial characteristics maps the evolution of the built environment and continuity of the economic activities. Temporal and regional differences are analysed and related to more location-specific driving factors. The sprawl pattern seems to have a historical ground, whereas the difference in density is related to the evolution path. Regarding the local economy dynamics, no clear regional differences can be found. The professions and other business services category has the highest density. The amount of tertiary activities proves the importance of tertiarisation on the countryside. Both studied evolutions tend to change the open space profoundly. Therefore, insights are crucial in order to develop location specific policies

    Pregeometric Concepts on Graphs and Cellular Networks as Possible Models of Space-Time at the Planck-Scale

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    Starting from the working hypothesis that both physics and the corresponding mathematics have to be described by means of discrete concepts on the Planck-scale, one of the many problems one has to face is to find the discrete protoforms of the building blocks of continuum physics and mathematics. In the following we embark on developing such concepts for irregular structures like (large) graphs or networks which are intended to emulate (some of) the generic properties of the presumed combinatorial substratum from which continuum physics is assumed to emerge as a coarse grained and secondary model theory. We briefly indicate how various concepts of discrete (functional) analysis and geometry can be naturally constructed within this framework, leaving a larger portion of the paper to the systematic developement of dimensional concepts and their properties, which may have a possible bearing on various branches of modern physics beyond quantum gravity.Comment: 16 pages, Invited paper to appear in the special issue of the Journal of Chaos, Solitons and Fractals on: "Superstrings, M, F, S ... Theory" (M.S. El Naschie, C. Castro, Editors

    Relational Quantum Cosmology

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    The application of quantum theory to cosmology raises a number of conceptual questions, such as the role of the quantum-mechanical notion of "observer" or the absence of a time variable in the Wheeler-DeWitt equation. I point out that a relational formulation of quantum mechanics, and more in general the observation that evolution is always relational, provides a coherent solution to this tangle of problems.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figures. Contribution to the forthcoming book on Philosophy of Cosmology edited by K. Chamcham, J. Barrow, J. Silk and S. Saunders for Cambridge University Pres
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