Analysis of Informal Dynamics in Mega Urban Areas – Based on Spatial Structure and Steering Mechanisms Focused on Water in the Pearl River Delta

Abstract

Chinese cities became one of the most dynamic urban areas worldwide within last decades.
By economic liberalisation in some special economic zones the mega-urban area of Perl River Delta became one of the dynamic regions in China. Rapid economic growth and immense population pressure led to special structural characteristics and high environmental impacts. The interdisciplinary and international work group, composed by urban geography, hydrogeology and landscape architecture, provides new approaches for investigating the structures and the steering mechanisms of urban development. In order to reduce in a first step the complex processes related to the development of highly dynamic mega urban areas we take flows of the resource 'water' and water management as an example and, secondly, subdivide the large urban agglomeration into smaller units. Within these different types of 'urban cells' in-depth analysis of various socioeconomic, morphological and ecological structures as well as agency structures and mechanisms become feasible. The analysis of the informal influences on formal structures and the appropriate reciprocity between different 'urban cells' and their surrounding urban spaces respectively is intended to provide further knowledge about the actual processes and adapted governance systems in the overall mega urban area. The analysis of these processes will be related to water resources in terms of quality and quantity aspects.

Major Goals

Analysis of the processes related to the development of highly complex, mega urban settlement areas in the Perl River delta by the example of the resource 'water'.

Description of the influence of local parameters on formal settlement structures.

Deflection of knowledge for future decisions regarding to urban extensions and respectively to the change of existing settlement parts

Analysis of the interaction between informality, structural classes and water situation

Research Objectives

Analysis of structure of the Pearl River Delta

Classification and specification of land use in the Pearl River Delta

Differentiation of city morphology

Differentiation of spatial settlement types

Analysis of socioeconomic and sociocultural structures and actions at the micro-level

Buildup a water balance

Development of a Hydro-database (including current situation regarding water in the different classification types

Research Team

RWTH Aachen University, Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering, Dept. of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology

Prof. Dr. Rafig Azzam, Phone: +49-241-80-95741; Email: azzam(at)lih.rwth-aachen.de
Dr. Klaus Baier, Phone: +49-241-80-96771; Email: baier(at)lih.rwth-aachen.de
Dipl.-Geogr. Lin Lu; Email: lu(at)lih.rwth-aachen.de
Ramona Strohschön, M.A., Phone: +49-241-80-96782; Email: strohschoen(at)lih.rwth-aachen.de

RWTH Aachen University, Faculty of Architecture, Dept. of Landscape Architecture

Prof. Christian Krause, Phone: +49-241-80-95050; Email: krause(at)la.rwth-aachen.de
Dipl.-Ing. Florian Kluge, Phone: +49-241-80-95053; Email: kluge(at)la.rwth-aachen.de
Dipl.-Ing. Katharina Wiethoff, Phone: +49-241-80-95053; Email: katharina_wiethoff(at)web.de

University of Kiel, Department of Geography

Prof. Rainer Wehrhahn; Phone: +49-431-8802474; Email: wehrhahn(at)geographie.uni-kiel.de
Dipl.-Geogr. Anna Lena Bercht; Phone: +49-0431-8801781; Email: bercht(at)geographie.uni-kiel.de

Publications

Azzam, R., Post, C., Baier, K., Real, A., Ziefle, M. (2008): Water Supply and Sanitation Facilities in a Human-Centred Managment Concept for Fast Growing Megacities. In: UN Habitat- United Nations Settlement Programs: Fourth session of the World Urban Forum, Nanjing, China, Documentations of Germany's Contribution to a Sustainable Urban Future [online access]

Azzam, R., Baier, K., Neukum, C., Post, C. (2008): Sauberes Trinkwasser für die Zukunft - Grundwasserschutz im Spannungsfeld zwischen Global Change und wachsendem Rohstoffbedarf. In: Umweltforum der RWTH Aachen - Themenheft Wasser, pp. 72-73 [online access]

Baier, K., Post, C. (2006): Applicability of Steering Mechanisms in Water Management Considering Different Land use Patterns. In: The Moroccan Chapter of the International Association of Hydrogeologists, .(Eds.): Integrated Water Resource Management and Challenges of the Sustainable Development 23.-25. Mai 2006, Abstract in the proceedings, full paper on CD, pp. 109

Baier, K., Azzam, R., Post, C. (2006): Alternative Concept for Water Supply to Satisfy Basic Needs in Fast Growing Megacities. In: Culshaw, M., Reeves, H., Spink, T., Jefferson, I.(Eds.): IAEG 2006 Engineering Geology for Tomorrow's Cities 6.-10. Oktober 2006, Abstract in the proceedings, full paper on CD, pp. 131-132

Baier, K., Strohschön, R. (2007): Informelle Dynamiken in Megastädten. Eine Strukturanalyse vor dem Hintergrund der Wasserversorgung. In: VAG Infoblatt, 02/2007 [online access]

Baier, K., Post, C., Melin, T., Pfennig, A., Ziefle, M. (2008): Interdisciplinary Approach for Water Management Support. In: The 4th symposium of German-Arab scientific forum for environmental studies, Climatic changes and water resources in the Middle East and North Africa. Fes, Morocco, October, 7 and 8, Full Paper on CD

Baier, K., Real, A., Strohschön, R. (2009): Ansätze eines alternativen Wassermanagementkonzepts für mega urbane Räume am Beispiel der südchinesischen Megastadt Guangzhou. In: uwf UmweltWirtschaftsForum, 17 (3), pp. 281-289 [online access]

Bercht, A., Wehrhahn, R. (2010): A psychological – geographical approach to vulnerability: the example of a Chinese urban development project from the perspective of the transactional stress model. In: Environment and Planning A, 42 (7), pp. 1705 – 1722

Kluge, F., Krause, C., Wiethoff, K. (2008): Raumdynamik in der Megastadt. Strukturelle und informelle Prozesse in Guangzhou. In: PLANERIN. Fachzeitschrift für Stadt-, Regional und Landesplanung, pp. 51-53

Kluge, F., Krause, C., Wiethoff, K. (2009): Dem System auf der Spur in Guangzhou. Abbild struktureller Prozesse im Freiraum. In: PLANERIN. Fachzeitschrift für Stadt-, Regional und Landesplanung, pp. 50-51

Kluge, F., Krause, C., Stützel, V., Wiethoff, K. (2009): Research and Teaching in the Context of Global Urbanisation. In: Conference-Proceedings of the ECLAS-Conference 2008, New Landscapes - New Lives, New Challenges in Landscape Planning, Design and Management, September 11-14 2008 in Alnarp, Sweden. In: Conference-Proceedings of the ECLAS-Conference 2008, New Landscapes - New Lives, New Challenges in Landscape Planning, Design and Management, pp. 299-308

Lu, L., Baier, K. (2009): The analysis of urban land use types by multispectral satellite image, using the example of the megacity Guangzhou, China. In: Baier, K., Strohschön, R.(Eds.): Proceedings of Megacities - Interactions Between Land Use and Water Management. Mitteilungen zur Ingenieurgeologie und Hydrogeologie, 99, pp. 31-40, Aachen [online access]

Müller, A., Wehrhahn, R. (2009): Binnenmigration in China. Wanderarbeiter im Kontext des Houkou-Systems. In: Geographie und Schule, 177 (31), pp. 33-40 [online access]

Putra, D., Baier , K. (2008): Impact of Urbanization on Groundwater Recharge - The Example of the Indonesian Million City Yogyakarta. In: UN Habitat- United Nations Settlement Programs: Fourth session of the World Urban Forum, Nanjing, China, Documentations of Germany's Contribution to a Sustainable Urban Future [online access]

Real, A., Baier, K., Azzam, R. (2009): Electrokinetic processes; A technology feasible for the protection of water resouces in fast growing megacities. In: Baier, K., Strohschön, R.(Eds.): Proceedings of Megacities - Interactions Between Land Use and Water Management. Mitteilungen zur Ingenieurgeologie und Hydrogeologie, 99, pp. 155-164, Aachen

Ruckert, C. (2007): Metamorphocity' Pearl River Delta: A multidimensional spatial system and its local driving forces. Paper presented at the ENHR Conference 2007, Rotterdam. . In: ENHR Conference 2007, Rotterdam. [online access]

Strohschön, R., Baier, K. (2008): Wasserversorgung und Wasserverschmutzung in Guangzhou. Umweltrisiken der südchinesischen Megastadt. In: scinexx Das Wissensmagazin, Springerverlag [online access]

Strohschön, R., Baier, K. (2008): The Impact of Urbanization on Water Quality in Fast Growing Mega Cities in Asia. Case Studies from Guangzhou and Yogyakarta. In: Schriftreihe der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften, 60 [online access]

Strohschön, R., Baier, K. (2009): Untersuchung der Qualität von Oberflächengewässern in der Megastadt Guangzhou, Südchina. In: Wasserwirtschaft, 99 (4), pp. 10-16 [online access]

Strohschön, R. (2009): Defizite und Chancen der Wasserversorgung in der südchinesischen Megastadt Guangzhou. In: Wasser und Abfall, 11 (4), pp. 10-14 [online access]

Strohschön, R., Baier, K., Azzam, R. (2009): Urban Units as an Analysis Tool for Mega-Urban Development. The Case of Guangzhou, China. In: Baier, K., Strohschön, R.(Eds.): Proceedings of Megacities – Interactions between Land Use and Water Management. Mitteilungen zur Ingenieurgeologie und Hydrogeologie, 99, pp. 63-72, Aachen [online access]

Wehrhahn, R., Bercht, A. (2008): Konsequenzen der Weltmarktintegration für die mega-urbane Entwicklung in China. Das Beispiel Guangzhou/Perlflussdelta. In: Geographie und Schule, 173, pp. 19-27 [online access]

Wehrhahn, R., Bercht, A., Krause, C., Azzam, R., Kluge, F., Strohschön, R., Wiethoff, K., Baier, K. (2008): Urban restructuring and social and water-related vulnerability in megacities – the example of the urban village of Xincún, Guangzhou (China). In: Die Erde, 139 (3), pp. 227-249 [online access]

Wehrhahn, R., Haubricht, D. (2010): Megastädte im globalen Süden. Dynamik und Komplexität megaurbaner Räume mit Beispielen aus Lima und Guangzhou. In: Geographische Rundschau, 62 (10), pp. 30-37

Wiethoff, K., Kluge, F. (2008): Um uns die Stadt. Dörfer als Bausteine der Megastadt. In: der architekt, pp. 14-15

Wiethoff, K., Baier, K. (2009): Megacities Areas in Transition. Abandoned Sites as an Expression of a Continuously Changing mega-urban landscape. In: Baier, K., Strohschön, R., Azzam, R.(Eds.): Proceedings of Megacities - Interactions Between Land Use and Water Management. Mitteilungen zur Ingenieurgeologie und Hydrogeologie, 99, pp. 83-92, Aachen [online access]