Understanding Urban Complexity via the Spatial Diversity of Activities: An Application to Barcelona (Spain)

Salvador Rueda Palenzuela, Albert Santasusagna Riu, Berta Cormenzana Izquierdo, Joan Tort Donada and Xavier Úbeda
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Salvador Rueda Palenzuela: Territorial and Urban Ecology Foundation (Fundació Ecologia Urbana i Territorial, FEUT), Enric Granados, 43, 08008 Barcelona, Spain
Albert Santasusagna Riu: GRAM (Grup de Recerca Ambiental Mediterrània), Department of Geography, Universitat de Barcelona, Montalegre, 6, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
Berta Cormenzana Izquierdo: GRAM (Grup de Recerca Ambiental Mediterrània), Department of Geography, Universitat de Barcelona, Montalegre, 6, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
Joan Tort Donada: GRAM (Grup de Recerca Ambiental Mediterrània), Department of Geography, Universitat de Barcelona, Montalegre, 6, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
Xavier Úbeda: GRAM (Grup de Recerca Ambiental Mediterrània), Department of Geography, Universitat de Barcelona, Montalegre, 6, 08001 Barcelona, Spain

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: Urban complexity can be measured by the numerical and spatial diversity of activities in a territory. Just as biodiversity can be measured in a natural ecosystem, diversity indices can be applied to urban settings. Urban diversity presents higher values in areas where there is a greater number of (economic, institutional, and social) activities with a high degree of differentiation between them. This study seeks to investigate the potential of applying an urban diversity index in a specific case study: namely, the city of Barcelona (Spain), known for the orthogonal grid plan of its Eixample district. Results show that the municipal territory of Barcelona as a whole is characterized by highly differentiated spaces according to their urban diversity values. Specifically, it is the Eixample district that presents the highest values of urban diversity, reflecting the densification of its morphology and its urban commercial policies.

Keywords: urban complexity; urban ecosystems; urban diversity; sustainability indices; orthogonal grid; Barcelona (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:3:p:1298-:d:732151

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