| The European Union’s Strategies for Small and Medium-sized Cities and Towns | | Peter Schmitt |
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| Abstract： |
This paper primarily discusses strategies for the development of small and medium-sized cities and towns in Europe Union. The roles and potentials of small and medium-sized cities and towns are analyzed firstly. Then it primarily summarizes the growing concerns and related policies on medium-sized cities and towns in the following part, which reflected the ambitions to integrate urban issues within the EU policy framework. Some of the major policy documents and programmes as well as related normative concepts of the EU policy framework are critically analyzed. The so-called ‘urban dimension’ is emerging in various strategies within the EU policy framework, whereas its specific design and territorial focus, also in relation to small and medium-sized cities and towns, remains to be rather vague.
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| Keywords： |
EU Policies and Strategies; Small and Medium-sized Cities and Towns （SMESTOs）; Polycentric Development; Territorial Agenda; Urban Dimension |
| The EU Policies to Promote Rural-urban Relationships | | Andrew Copus |
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| Abstract： |
This paper reviews the development of ideas about European policies building on rural-urban relationships. It also presents some reflections on the apparent gap between policy and governance concepts and the way in which many would argue that the （economic and social） spatial organisation of the European territory is changing.
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| Keywords： |
Rural-urban Relationships; Cooperation; Growth Poles; City Regions; Community-led Local Development |
| Scotland’s Small Towns: A Heritage Asset Under Threat | | Cliff Hague |
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| Abstract： |
As part of the United Kingdom, Scotland has its own Parliament, and many small towns. These towns are facing major challenges due to not only the impacts of international economic changes, but also lack of coherent national and local policy and their own inherent limitations. In particular, small towns that are remote and have ost their main economic base are highly vulnerable. Conservation of small towns’ heritage is part of a move to a more environmentally sustainable future. Innovative repositioning, as well as a “small town health check” developed by Built Environment Forum Scotland have provided new thoughts and methods in the conservation of small towns.
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| Keywords： |
Scotland; Small Towns; Heritage; Vulnerability; Conservation; Small Town Health Check |
| Small and Medium-sized Cities as Catalysts for Territorial Development in France | | Guy Baudelle |
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| Abstract： |
There are a large number of small and medium-sized cities in France. They went through a radical demographical and economical growth from 1945 to 1973. Since then, the vigour of them has been no less than that of large agglomerations. The European agricultural policy is a very important factor to the development of the small cities during the past half century. Speaking of medium-sized cities, they have profited a lot from the national policy of territorial planning. However, both small and medium-sized cities enjoy a kind of innate development, for they provide good quality of life which can promote residential economy there. Industries are dense in the north of France, and once they know how to innovate, they are capable of surviving. While in the south, tourism is crucial for being the world’s major tourist destination. In all, small and medium-sized cities, by their attraction, promote the territorial development of the country.
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| Keywords： |
Small and Medium-sized Cities; France; Territorial Development; Attraction; Public Services; Quality of Life |
| The Vital Role of Small and Medium-sized Cities and Towns for Territorial Development in Germany | | Klaus R. Kunzmann, Nils Leber |
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| Abstract： |
Compared with many other western countries in Europe, the urban system of Germany is well balanced. Benefiting from more than 2 000 years of city development and strong local autonomy, as well as from federalism and powerful state governments, small, medium and large cities are evenly distributed all over the country, all offering quite equal living conditions and easy access to public infrastructure and services. Following a concise definition of small and medium-sized cities and towns, this paper sketches the historical rationale of balanced urban development and the function of medium-sized cities and small towns in Germany. It illustrates some implication of ongoing metropolisation processes for these cities and presents the city region of Nuremberg as a pertinent example of a region with many successful medium-sized cities and small towns. At the end the paper gives a brief overview of federal policies and programmes to support the development of cities and towns.
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| Keywords： |
Germany; Balanced Spatial Development; Small and Medium-sized Cities and Towns; City Region of Nuremberg; Local Autonomy; Metropolisation |
| The Role of Small and Medium-sized Centers for Territorial Development in Switzerland | | Heike Mayer |
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| Abstract： |
This paper describes the role of small and medium-sized urban centers in Switzerland. Switzerland is a highly urbanized country where small and medium-sized urban centers play an important role in ensuring a balanced national urban system. Besides the four largest metropolitan regions （Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Bern）, small and medium-sized towns function as central places for a wider, often extensive hinterland. They provide opportunities for living and working and they connect rural and mountain regions to national and international networks. Using secondary statistics and a case study, the paper shows that small and medium-sized urban centers are home to significant concentrations of export-oriented industries. Firms in these value-adding secondary sectors are rooted in these places and benefit from strong local embeddedness while also being oriented towards global markets. Small and medium-sized urban centers also profit from their strong local identities. While these places face various challenges, they function as important pillars in creating a balanced regional development pattern. Swiss regional development policy follows the goal of polycentric spatial development and it employs various instruments that aim to ensure a balanced urban system.
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| Keywords： |
Small and Medium-sized Towns; Switzerland; Local Embeddedness; Regional Development Policy; Polycentric Development |
| The Tradition of“ Harmonizing Man and Nature” in Urban Planning of the West | | Xie Pengfei |
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| Abstract： |
By analyzing Western urban planning practice from the perspective of site positioning, planning and location, and built environment, this paper proves that there is a tradition of “Harmonizing Man and Nature” rationally in the urban planning of the West. By comparing the ideology and practice of “Harmonizing Man and Nature” between China and the West, it proposes that the tradition of “Harmonizing Man and Nature” rationally of the West is logical and reasonable in terms of its interpretation of the relationship between Man and Nature, and is more effective to explore the natural law and the truth of science. The ideology and practice of “Harmonizing Man and Nature” of China and Western Countries are complementary, each with their own characteristics. It proposes that we should hold a dialectical ideology of “Harmonizing Man and Nature” to face the opportunity and challenge of the era of“ eco-civilization”.
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| Keywords： |
The West; Urban Planning; Harmonizing Man and Nature; Tradition |
| Construction of Canada’s Pedestrian Environment from the Perspective of Healthy City | | Guo Xiangmin, Wang Dongxue |
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| Abstract： |
In this paper, which is at a starting point of the “Healthy City“ concept and on the purpose of integrating urban space for walking or riding and upgrading health level, the case studies are based on the construction of walking environment of healthy cities in Canada; and summing up approaches and experience in building pedestrian systems in the country; putting forward planning strategies on sound walking system for the construction of healthy cities in China, thereby promoting the development of low-carbon cities and to achieve the purpose of healthy city and sustainable development.
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| Keywords： |
Pedestrian / Bicycle Environment; Canada; Healthy City |
| Science City Strategy in the UK and Its Development Implications | | Yuan Xiaohui, Liu Helin |
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| Abstract： |
In the context of globalization and knowledge based economic development, the competition for scientific and technical innovation capacity is more and more intensified. Some countries adopt new round of high-tech center strategy to attract scientific and technological resources and innovative talents, in order to promote the regional competitiveness and contribute to economic development. The UK puts forward the Science City Strategy in 2004, which represents a new science city model that is different from previous ones. This paper reviews the general history of science cities in the world and sets the Science City Strategy in the UK as the research object. It studies the background and the content of the strategy, and compares the basis and action plan of different science cities. With the evaluation of the strategy, this paper concludes the characteristics of science cities in the UK, to shed light on the construction of science and technology city in China.
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| Keywords： |
Science City in the UK; Science and Technology City; Innovation; Linkage; Public Participation |
| Study on the Adaptable Transport Strategies of Historical City Conservation | | Liu Min |
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| Abstract： |
The balance between street space conservation and traffic development is a weak point in current historical city conservation study. The street network of historical city formed in the non-motorized period is quite different from the modern one formed in the motorized period. Based on international experiences of street renewal ideas, the article puts forward six methods from the perspective of city planning and design as follows: adjusting the overall traffic structure cautiously, setting up organic loop system, developing the underground traffic positively, plugging in threedimensional traffic harmoniously, redesigning road sections and redeveloping light rails. Hopefully they are of benefit to the solution of traffic problems and street space conservation in China’s historic cities.
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| Keywords： |
Historical City Conservation; Transport; Street Space |
| The Compact Development and Policy Guidance in the Process of Urbanization in Taiwan | | Dai Xiongci |
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| Abstract： |
Taiwan experienced fast urbanization and GDP growth between 1960s-1990s. Yet, the growth pattern: high density, compact form, industrial conglomeration and mixed use, differs from the urban sprawl in mainland China. This article analyzes the factors that contribute to the compact development in Taiwan, including land reform, land use control and infrastructure construction. The urban planning policies and building codes are further examined. In summary, a preliminary comparative analysis is made for cities across Taiwan Strait.
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| Keywords： |
Urbanization; Urban Planning and Building Code; Land Reform; Taiwan |
| The Moscow Overall Urban Planning （2010-2025） from the Points of View of Russian Professionals | | Han Linfei, Han Yuanyuan |
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| Abstract： |
The Moscow Overall Urban Planning （2010-2025） takes constructing beneficial urban environment to human life activities as the main theme, and aims to provide its inhabitants with better urban space. The planning has a series of guiding ideas as follows: ecological conservation, city safety, protection of cultural and natural heritage, construction of infrastructure of social meaning, guaranteeing the urban traffic system to function properly, etc. From the perspectives of Moscow’s urban development, urban construction pattern, social infrastructure construction, traffic network planning, historical and cultural protection, ecological environment protection and so on, analyzes Moscow overall urban planning in the process of economic protection and institutional transformation, at the same time, compares the latest version of overall urban planning with the past ones. It also interprets Moscow’s urban development planning in the future more comprehensively by introducing Russian architecture and urban planning experts’ viewpoints.
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| Keywords： |
Institutional Transformation; Multi-center; Social Security; Architectural Heritage Protection; Ecological Environment |
| The Legistration System of the British“ Public Rights of Way” and Its Contributions to Countryside Access | | Zhou Kai, Song Yu, Chen Yu |
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| Abstract： |
After decades of effort, planning authorities in the UK managed to preserve a nation-wide recreational system for walkers, equestrians, cyclists, and motorised users along the most scenic sites across British countryside. The“ Public Rights of Way” is sitting at the core of a legistration system that enables the creation of such sustainable, integrated and convenient nonmotorised traffic system from private-owned lands in urban and rural areas. This paper introduces the British“ public rights of way” legistration system and searches for potential contributions to the ongoing“ Non-motorised Traffic Planning” and“ Regional Greenways Planning” discourses in China.
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| Keywords： |
Public Rights of Way; England; Welsh; Greenways; Non-motorised System; Planning Legistration |
| Preliminary Studies on Contemporary Urban Agriculture Planning from the Perspective of Food Urbanism Strategy | | Sun Li, Zhang Yukun |
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| Abstract： |
We are now facing a series of crises of energy, food and environment. The food system reform is the basic issue of the next social paradigm shift, and the food urbanism will be the dominant approach. Food Urbanism is defined, and then its functions and significances are summarized. The paper analyzes the necessity of introducing urban agriculture planning into China’s urbanization process. The spatial elements of urban agriculture are summarized, and the community agriculture center is proposed as a novel idea of architecture style. Then, the main technical means of contemporary urban agriculture are introduced, and reasonable proposal is put forward to select the crop species of urban agriculture cultivation （farming）.
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| Keywords： |
Food Urbanism; Contemporary Urban Agriculture; Spatial Elements; Technical Means; Species Selection |
| A Research on American Food System Planning | | Liu Juanjuan, Li Baofeng, Ning Yunfei, Brandon Born |
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| Abstract： |
Food system closely relates to food security and urban sustainability, however, planners have paid little attention to food issues. At 2005 APA National Planning Conference, a special track of sessions on food planning subjects was held for the first time in APA’s history. Subsequently, food system planning becomes a booming issue. Based on literature reviews, interviews and investigation, the paper aims to explore the concept and current situation of food system, and the history, policy guide, content, and cases of food system planning in the United States. The paper hopes to benefit the initiation for food system planning in China, and facilitate the integration of urban agriculture into China’s urban planning.
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| Keywords： |
Food System; Food Security; Sustainable Development; The United States; Planning |
| The Successful Implementation of Road Congestion Charge in a Small City: A Case Study of Durham, the UK | | Deng Taotao, Feng Suwei |
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| Abstract： |
This paper introduces the case of road congestion charge applied in a small city, which is rarely discussed in China‘s literatures. The paper takes Durham as a case study, which is the first city to implement congestion charge in the UK. It analyzes the historical background of implementing the road congestion charge scheme, the specific implementation measures, the relevant supporting measures and consequent results. This study reveals that the road congestion condition has got clear improvement in Durham and the public support of congestion pricing schemes has also been significantly improved after the scheme was implemented in Durham. The paper points out that it is quite difficult to implement road congestion pricing in big cities due to certain problems. It might be better to implement the congestion pricing scheme in the crowded streets in small cities firstly, so as to avoid policy risk and get experience.
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| Keywords： |
Congestion Charge; Small City; Durham; the UK |
