Study on the Coupling Degree of Urban Virtual and Substantive Vitality from the Perspective of “Scale-Vitality”—Taking the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Metropolitan Area as an Example

Chun Yi, Zixuan Wang (), Yaru Wei, Xiaokui Chen, Wenya Yan and Meiru Jiang
Additional contact information
Chun Yi: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Hunan City University, Yiyang 413000, China
Zixuan Wang: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Hunan City University, Yiyang 413000, China
Yaru Wei: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Hunan City University, Yiyang 413000, China
Xiaokui Chen: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Hunan City University, Yiyang 413000, China
Wenya Yan: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Hunan City University, Yiyang 413000, China
Meiru Jiang: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Hunan City University, Yiyang 413000, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 11, 1-26

Abstract: Investigating the coupling coordination between urban scale and vitality is critical for enhancing holistic urban development quality and advancing sustainability. Taking the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan (ChangZhuTtan) metropolitan area as a case study, this research integrates multi-source raster and vector data to: (1) analyze spatial patterns of urban scale and virtual–substantive vitality; (2) delineate a “scale-vitality” hierarchical zonal structure; (3) quantify coupling relationships across subzones; and (4) propose synergistic spatial optimization strategies. Key findings reveal that, distinct core-periphery structure characterizes urban scale and vitality, with Changsha’s central districts dominating population, land use, and economic metrics, while Zhuzhou and Xiangtan exhibit moderate concentrations. Significant positive correlations exist between urban scale and dual vitality types, with scale-driven vitality enhancement being most pronounced in core agglomeration zones. Furthermore, in the metropolitan core, where both urban scale and vitality values are high, they exhibit a high-value coupling state. As they expanded outward, both metrics gradually decreased, resulting in a low-value coupling state. However, zonal comparisons (core agglomeration circle–peripheral expansion circle) reveal that the proportion of spatially coupled units progressively increases. By elucidating scale-vitality coupling in the ChangZhuTtan metropolitan area, this study provides actionable insights for spatial planning and sustainable urban transition. The methodology framework is replicable for similar metropolitan regions globally.

Keywords: Core Agglomeration “Scale-Vitality” Center; Close Collaboration Circle “Scale-Vitality” Center; Radiation and Synergy Circle “Scale-Vitality” Center (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/11/5059/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/11/5059/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:11:p:5059-:d:1669119

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().