A CASE STUDY ON CONCENTRATION AND DECENTRALIZATION: BEHAVIOR AND DYNAMIC MECHANISM OF SPATIAL EVOLUTION IN METROPOLITAN AREA, NANJING, CHINA

In rapid socio-economic development, the process of concentration and dispersal of various elements tends to be more dramatic, tremendously influencing the shaping and transformation of the space in metropolitan area. Survey of spatial concentration and decentralization has thus become a basic method in examining metropolitan spatial evolution. In this research, three elements were selected as the essential indicators of the process: demographic density distribution, employment density distribution and business office location. Performance of these elements in Nanjing City was examined historically. As Nanjing City could be regarded as a representative of metropolitan areas in China, its situation largely suggestes the general characteristics in similar areas of China. Hence based on the investigation of Nanjing City, four general implications were highlighted. First, metropolitan areas in China are in a violent process and shift of spatial concentration and decentralization. Second, from now to at least the near future, concentration will continue to be the central feature. Third, the landscape of metropolitan areas basically exhibits a dual structure character. The gap in environmental and ecological qualities among different districts will continue for a long time. Fourth, Central Business District (CBD) is playing an important role in helping to convert the traditionally single-centered city structure into a polycentric one.