Conferences
5–6 August 2010, Poznan, Poland
Cities and their Growth: Sustainability and Fractality
The development of towns was one of the most characteristic trends of the 20th century. By the 21st century, the urban population has exceeded, for the first time in history, 50% of the total figure. This tendency is supposed to be reinforced in the next years.
Why do cities grow so explosively, and what spatial forms will they assume in the future? What mechanisms underlie the economic development of cities? What does sustainable urban development mean? Those are the questions that both spatial management and urban geography seek to answer. The body of theoretical knowledge accumulated in this field, both abroad and in Poland, is substantial.
In the recent years the notion of a complex adaptive system is employed to model the socio-economic and spatial development of towns. It helps to elucidate many processes that play a key role in the development of towns, especially big cities. When considered in their spatial aspect, cities are modelled using the theory of fractal geometry.
The aim of the conference is to present the latest achievements in this field. Another issue addressed at the conference will be the problem of balancing the factors that contribute to the formation of cities offering their residents high standards of living.
