Spatial patterns of land use: morphology and demography, in a dynamic evaluation of urban sprawl phenomena along the Spanish mediterranean coast

Abstract

Based on theoretical concepts about urban sprawl, such as land consumption and population density, this study aims to provide a methodology for defining models of urban development and, through a temporary cut, dynamically analyze the changes that have occurred in the patterns of urban growth in the last two decades and along the Spanish Mediterranean coastline. The paper examines the regions of Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia, Andalusia and the Balearic Islands and takes into account three temporal stages of urban development, 1990, 2000, 2006, by using database of CORINE Land Cover and INE data. We apply quantitative indices of urban morphology and density on these database, and through statistical analysis and GIS technologies, we classify types of spatial and temporal behaviours of urban models by using statistical methods. The spatial relationships between full and empty spaces, in terms of distances between urbanized polygons, and physical and functional hierarchies, make part of a semantic code which is often used to define conceptually the contemporary urban environment. The examination of growth models finally gives us useful information concerning the assessment of sustainability characteristics and future development prospects in an area heavily pressured by human intervention.