Globalización

Economic globalisation and the subsequent intensification of inter-city competition have profoundly changed urban governance. This is particularly evident in the field of urban spatial development. The change is often described as a shift from a managerial mode of governance to a more entrepreneurial mode, strongly characterised by risk-taking, innovation, a strong orientation toward the private sector and a strategic approach which focuses on economic growth.

In the past twenty years, globalization has rendered many economic and social urban functions obsolete. Large cities face a form of implosion, which necessitates a rethinking of both contents and containers. This book will mainly concentrate on the latter aspect.