- Edge City and its Formation and Growth Mechanism in China: Case Study of Yizhuang New Town, Beijing    click here to open paper content1401 kb
by    Zhang, Xiaoli & Hu, Jiyuan | zhang_xiaoli00@sina.com   click here to send an email to the auther(s) of this paper
Short Outline
With the rapid economic and urbanization development, 'edge city' is popular for detecting the urban patterns that were shaped around some mega-cities. More importantly, its formation mechanism is fundamentally concerning.
Abstract
Edge city is one of the most popular concepts in interpretations of landscape change in the area surrounding the centers of big cities. Such a concept was introduced by Joel Garreau (1991) in order to detect the urban patterns that were being shaped around some mega-cities. The urban pattern in mega-cities is being reshaped, and dramatic changes are happening in the suburbs.

This research picks up a single case study of Yizhuang New Town, Beijing, in order to examine, to what extent, the phenomenon summarized as the American concept emerged in China. In order to find out the similarities and differences, both physical elements and development paths between areas defined as edge city by defined Garreau (1991), as well as technoburb by Fishman (1987), in terms of this particular case study of Yizhuang New Town, will be compared systematically. More importantly, the driving forces that have stimulated Yizhuang New Town formation and growth will be analyzed in depth. This research focuses on three key driving forces i.e. government development strategy, operation of market mechanism with Chinese characteristics, and upgrading transport modes, in order to explain the why and how such kind of city could be formed and developed.
Keywords
edge city, mechanism, driving force, Yizhuang
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