Changes in the suburbs

Beyond Aging and Urban Shrinkage

Abstract

20th century urbanism was characterized by 1) horizontal expansion of the metropolitan area and 2) functional differentiation within the metropolitan area. Since the beginning of the 21st century, however, metropolitan areas have faced several transformations: 1) under the globalization, municipal governments preferred entrepreneurial urbanism, resulting in the intensive urban developments in metropolitan centers; and 2) a growth in inequality within a metropolitan area in terms of economic status, residential environments, and demographic characteristics caused “divided cities” in major metropolitan areas worldwide. To welcome international elites who work in newly emerged and city-center-oriented industries (e.g., international financial sectors, IT and related industries, or business services), metropolitan centers were redeveloped. On the other hand, the suburbs, especially outer suburbs which have been developed at the peak of the horizontal expansion of a metropolitan area, face several urban problems (e.g., a rise in vacant housing, a lack of commercial function within walkable distance, or aging of existing residents and outflow of younger generation). This special issue aims to discuss future vision of the outer suburbs through field surveys in Ryugasaki city in the outer suburbs of the Tokyo metropolitan area.