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Spatial Analysis and Spatial Planning for Sustainability in Urban Areas

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainability in Geographic Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 6051

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Francesco Zullo

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil, Construction-Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of L’Aquila, 67100 Monteluco di Roio, Italy
Interests: land planning; urban planning spatial analysis; environmental science; computer science; engineering; land take; landscape ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Cristina Montaldi

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil, Construction-Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of L’Aquila, Piazzale E. Pontieri, 1, Monteluco di Roio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
Interests: sustainable land planning; land take; land use changes; spatial analysis; GIS; ecological network; land planning

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The environmental sustainability of urban transformations is now one of the main topics on the political agendas of countries around the world. In addition, today, urban areas are also faced with emergencies for which they have little or no preparedness (e.g., climate change) that lead to huge damages in economic terms and the loss of human life. Increasing the resilience of urban areas means radically rethinking urban systems, using innovative analysis and planning techniques that include greenways and ecosystem services. From this point of view, spatial analysis, but especially spatial planning, has a crucial role. They can determine the modalities, extent, and location of territorial transformations in order to improve the quality of life in urban environments, which are increasingly densely populated. This Special Issue aims to present recent advances in spatial analysis and spatial planning for sustainability in urban areas. It collates papers that explore new theories, innovative methodologies, and interesting case studies. Particular importance is given to spatial analysis techniques for the planning, modeling, and optimization of urban areas, improving the delivery of ecosystem services and increasing urban areas resilience. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to, geodesign for understanding urban systems, innovative algorithms for spatial analysis, big data in spatial planning, urban ecological networks, green infrastructures in urban areas, new approaches for increasing urban resilience, urban growth models and urban morphology, and new approaches to identifying patterns of urban landscape changes and monitoring soil sealing.

Dr. Francesco Zullo
Dr. Cristina Montaldi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

sustainable spatial and urban planning
urban resilience
land use and land cover changes
greenways and urban ecosystem services
urban growth models
urban sprawl and urban sprinkling

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 7391 KB

Open AccessArticle

Urban Design and Resilient Cities: Simulating Crowd Behavior to Reduce Urban Risk

by Donato Di Ludovico, Federico Eugeni, Gennaro Zanfardino and Antinisca Di Marco

Sustainability 2025, 17(23), 10730; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310730 - 30 Nov 2025

Viewed by 171

Abstract

The growing incidence of natural and man-made disasters, exacerbated by climate change, has highlighted the role of urban planning and design in reducing the impact of the risks they pose. This refers to pre-disaster recovery planning (PDRP), an innovative practice that aims to improve the response of urban contexts affected by a disaster, with urban planning actions implemented in peacetime, i.e., before the disaster occurs. This paper presents a methodology that integrates agent-based simulation and safety-based urban design within a sustainability-oriented urban planning framework. The methodology aims to support the design of safer and more resilient public spaces, focusing on open areas within heritage districts and operating within a sustainability-oriented urban planning framework. The proposed approach integrates simulation and design to evaluate the performance of existing spatial layouts under stress conditions and explore alternative configurations that optimize evacuation dynamics and minimize risks. The result of applying the simulation to the current urban context therefore allows for the identification of appropriate urban design techniques and practices aimed at defining alternative spatial scenarios and improving the urban form in terms of its evacuation performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Analysis and Spatial Planning for Sustainability in Urban Areas)

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23 pages, 4020 KB

Open AccessArticle

Linking Land Uses and Ecosystem Services Through a Bipartite Spatial Network: A Framework for Urban CO₂ Mitigation

by Carmelina Bevilacqua, Nourhan Hamdy and Poya Sohrabi

Sustainability 2025, 17(22), 10113; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172210113 - 12 Nov 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 299

Abstract

Urban CO₂ mitigation strategies typically aim at particular zones or sectors but do not account for spatial interdependencies among different components within the city. Understanding how land uses emit within and across districts can reveal systemic leverage points for climate-resilient urban planning. This study applies a bipartite spatial network approach using high-resolution Urban Atlas land-use data and a hierarchical spatial framework for emissions and sequestration estimation. The approach links urban land uses to their emissions profiles, offering a structural view of how different areas interconnect within urban carbon dynamics, moving beyond fragmented emission accounting. Using the Reggio Calabria Functional Urban Area in Italy as a case study, the analysis identifies influential areas and emission-intensive land uses. Subsequently, using centrality metrics highlights the spatial units with strong connections to emission-dense land uses, marking them as points of intervention. Results show that although 53% of districts act as net carbon sinks, their sequestration capacity is outweighed by the intensity of a smaller group of emitter districts. Among these, five central districts (IDs 94, 82, 107, 108, and 72) emit over 500 million kg CO₂ per year, making them leverage points for systemic mitigation. The integration of bipartite spatial network and multiscale territorial analysis provides a replicable, data-driven framework for urban CO₂ mitigation. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that mapping emissions through spatial interdependencies enables planners to target interventions where localized action yields the greatest network-wide climate impact. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Analysis and Spatial Planning for Sustainability in Urban Areas)

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20 pages, 3138 KB

Open AccessArticle

Resilience and Liveability as Drivers of Sustainability: The Case of UBC’s Public Spaces

by Marichela Sepe

Sustainability 2025, 17(21), 9878; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219878 - 5 Nov 2025

Viewed by 549

Abstract

Environmental sustainability and resilience have become urgent priorities in contemporary urban planning as cities confront the disruptive impacts of climate change, extreme weather, and global health crises. Within this framework, university campuses increasingly act as catalysts for sustainable urban transformation. This research, developed within the LOVE Sapienza and NARRATES projects, seeks to identify the key factors that enhance the liveability of campus public spaces and to propose a dedicated methodology, supported by the case study of the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver. The proposed approach integrates spatial analyses, field observations, and perceptual mapping aligned with the principles of the Charter for Resilient and Liveable Public Spaces. UBC exemplifies how biophilic design, inclusive governance, and art-based placemaking can strengthen resilience, social cohesion, and cultural identity. The study contributes a transferable framework for designing and managing campus public spaces as drivers of sustainability and urban regeneration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Analysis and Spatial Planning for Sustainability in Urban Areas)

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26 pages, 10303 KB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Construction and Optimization of Shenzhen’s Ecological Network Based on MSPA and Circuit Theory

by Hao Li, Xiaoxiang Tang, Cheng Zou and Huanyu Guo

Sustainability 2025, 17(21), 9779; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219779 - 3 Nov 2025

Viewed by 548

Abstract

Under the dual pressures of rapid urbanization and intense human socioeconomic activities, habitat fragmentation and poor landscape connectivity have become critical issues in cities. Constructing ecological networks is essential for maintaining urban ecosystem health and promoting sustainable environmental development. It represents an effective approach to balancing regional economic growth with ecological conservation. This study focused on the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. Ecological sources were identified using Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) and landscape connectivity assessment. Circuit theory was applied to extract ecological corridors, ecological pinch points, and ecological barriers. The importance levels of ecological corridors were classified to form an ecological network. The network was optimized by adding ecological sources, stepping stones, and restoring breakpoints. Its structure and functionality were evaluated before and after optimization. The results indicate the following: (1) The core area in Shenzhen City Area covers 426.67 km², the largest proportion among landscape types. It exhibits high fragmentation, low connectivity, and a spatial pattern characterized as “dense in the east and west, sparse in the center.” (2) Seventeen ecological sources were identified, consisting of 8 key sources, 5 important sources, and 4 general sources, accounting for 17.62% of the total area. Key sources are mainly distributed in forested regions such as Wutong Mountain, Maluan Mountain, Paiya Mountain, and Qiniang Mountain in the southeast. (3) Twenty-six ecological corridors form a woven network, with a total length of 127.44 km. Among these, 13 key corridors are concentrated in the eastern region, while 7 important corridors and 6 general corridors are distributed in the western and central parts. Few corridors exist in the southwest and southeast, leading to ecological flow interruption. (4) The optimized ecological network includes 12 newly added ecological source areas, 20 optimized ecological corridors, 120 ecological pinch points, and 26 ecological barriers. The maximum current value increased from 10.60 to 20.51, indicating significantly enhanced connectivity. The results provide important guidance for green space planning, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem functionality enhancement in Shenzhen City Area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Analysis and Spatial Planning for Sustainability in Urban Areas)

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23 pages, 5588 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Divergent Geographies of Urban Amenities: A Data Comparison Between OpenStreetMap and Google Maps

by Federico Mara, Chiara Anselmi, Federica Deri and Valerio Cutini

Sustainability 2025, 17(20), 9016; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17209016 - 11 Oct 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1115

Abstract

Urban models support sustainable, resilient, and equitable planning, but their validity hinges on underlying spatial data. This study examines the epistemological and technical consequences of relying on two dominant yet divergent platforms—OpenStreetMap (OSM) and Google Maps—for extracting proximity-based amenities within the 15-min city framework. Across four European contexts—Versilia, Gothenburg, Nice, and Vienna—we compare (i) data completeness and spatial coverage; (ii) semantic categories; and (iii) the effects of data heterogeneity on accessibility modelling. Findings show that OSM, while semantically consistent and openly accessible, systematically underrepresents peripheral amenities, introducing bias towards urban cores in accessibility metrics. Conversely, Google Maps provides broader coverage but is constrained by dependencies on extraction methods, opaque data structures, and ambiguous classification schemes, which hinder reproducibility, reduce interpretability, and limit its analytical robustness. These divergences yield distinct accessibility landscapes and competing readings of functionality and spatial equity. We argue that data source choice and protocol design are epistemological decisions and advocate transparent, hybrid strategies with cross-platform semantic harmonisation to strengthen robustness, equity, and policy relevance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Analysis and Spatial Planning for Sustainability in Urban Areas)

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17 pages, 2717 KB

Open AccessArticle

Deep Dive into the Recovery Fund: A (Real) Chance for Inner Areas? The Abruzzo Region Study Case, Italy

by Angela Pilogallo, Lucia Saganeiti and Lorena Fiorini

Sustainability 2025, 17(19), 8644; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17198644 - 25 Sep 2025

Viewed by 913

Abstract

The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) represents a transformative opportunity to reduce territorial, gender and generational disparities in Italy. It plays an even more important role for inner areas, which make up about three-fifths of the entire national territory and require structural investment to improve infrastructure, social services and access to healthcare services. This study aims to analyse the distribution of funds by project type, and to develop a geostatistical analysis-based methodology to critically evaluate two key aspects: the ability of small municipalities to access resources, and the effectiveness of the funding programme in meeting the specific needs of inner areas. The developed methodology consists of several steps aimed at collecting, standardising, geo-spatialising and analysing data relating to NRRP funds. This methodology is then applied to a case study of the Abruzzo region (Italy), which is considered particularly interesting due to its physical, historical and socio-economic characteristics that make it particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. The developed methodology consists of several steps aimed at collecting, standardising, geo-spatialising and analysing data relating to NRRP funds. The results of the spatial autocorrelation and cluster analyses were then overlapped and compared with the internal areas defined by the National Strategy for Inner Areas (NSIA). The outcomes reveal how investments interact with existing spatial planning instruments and development strategies, underscoring the critical role of accessibility, infrastructure, and public services in fostering equitable and sustainable regional development. The analysis offers insights into addressing structural disparities and enhancing territorial cohesion, with implications for policy alignment across multiple levels of governance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Analysis and Spatial Planning for Sustainability in Urban Areas)

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Review

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30 pages, 2390 KB

Open AccessReview

Integrating Urban Design, Healthy Habits, and Socio-Ecological Networks: A One Health and Well-Being Framework for Sustainable Cities

by Massimo Sargolini, Ana Sopina, Valentina Polci, David Mariani, Chiara Paolini and Maurizio Mariani

Sustainability 2025, 17(22), 10014; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172210014 - 10 Nov 2025

Viewed by 1051

Abstract

This article examines the role of urban design in integrating biodiversity preservation with the enhancement of environmental and human health and quality of life in urban and peri-urban areas. Building on three complementary perspectives—urban design, the Healthy Habits framework, and socio-ecological networks—the review seeks to bridge short- to medium-term actions for improving the quality of life with long-term strategies for biodiversity preservation. While partial connections between these domains exist, they remain fragmented, underscoring the need for a holistic and transdisciplinary approach to urban socio-ecological health. The study employs a two-stage methodology, combining a scoping review to map existing evidence with a qualitative thematic review across SCOPUS-indexed research, European and international policy frameworks, and practical applications. The One Health paradigm is used as the principal integrative tool to link urban design, the Healthy Habits framework, and the socio-ecological networks. The topics of European environmental policies, evolutionary pillars, and social cohesion are incorporated to strengthen the interrelations between environmental and societal health and well-being. The findings highlight the importance of a holistic approach, behavioural insights, urban nudges, and participation, which can become key elements in fostering social cohesion, ecological resilience, and overall health. The research concludes that health-oriented urban design must go beyond traditional planning paradigms and tools, adopting adaptive, relational, and transdisciplinary approaches to address the challenges posed by contemporary times. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Analysis and Spatial Planning for Sustainability in Urban Areas)

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Other

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43 pages, 1150 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Sustainable Reconstruction Planning from Natural Disasters (Earthquakes): A Systematic Mapping Study of Machine Learning and Technological Approaches

by Ghulam Mudassir and Antinisca Di Marco

Sustainability 2025, 17(22), 10035; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172210035 - 10 Nov 2025

Viewed by 582

Abstract

Natural disasters have various adverse effects on human lives, making it challenging for authorities to manage post-disaster situations with limited resources. Due to the extreme extent of the damage, the huge amount of resources needed to restore life to normality makes such a situation challenging. For this purpose, different methodologies have been proposed to effectively handle these types of situations. All these methodologies consider different aspects of the post-earthquake context, taking into account core parameters such as the time and cost required for reconstruction, as well as the people directly affected by the earthquake. In this paper, we conduct a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of various state-of-the-art techniques proposed for different phases of post-earthquake situations, specifically for reconstruction planning with sustainability considerations. All these proposed solutions are differentiated on the basis of input data, parameters, and type of solutions (data sciences, civil engineering, socio-economics, and modelling). The time range chosen to filter out relevant studies is between 2000 and 2025. Eventually, we reviewed 55 related articles out of 47,539 analysed from seven different digital libraries. The findings of this SLR reveal that optimization and simulation-based approaches dominate the current research landscape, with a growing trend toward data-driven and AI-assisted reconstruction planning. However, only a few studies focus on integrating socio-economic, environmental, and physical infrastructure aspects, which represents a major research gap. These findings provide insights that can guide future researchers in designing more comprehensive frameworks to improve post-earthquake reconstruction in a sustainable manner by prioritising economic, social, and environmental infrastructures, as well as facilities for affected individuals, thereby utilising available resources more effectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Analysis and Spatial Planning for Sustainability in Urban Areas)

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