Located on the western coast of Canada, the city of Vancouver gained worldwide name-recognition by hosting the Winter Olympics in February 2010. It is also known as a cosmopolitan city that is home to many different ethnic groups and cultures. In recent years there has been a particularly sharp rise in the number of Chinese ethnic groups, but there are ethnic enclaves all over the city. The target area of this study is the area around West Broadway. Before World War II, people of Greek descent formed a religious and ethnic community and established their livelihood in this foreign country. The community continued to grow after World War II, and with each generation they have assimilated more into Canadian society. The number of Greek shops on the commercial streets is also on the decline. This study looks at the changes in the West Broadway area compared with the conclusions of Kagawa and Yamashita (1998) and probes the causes of those changes. It shows that the once mainly Greek ethnic town has transformed into a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural area as the old buildings have been renovated, and behind that transformation are cultural assimilation and the establishment of a multi-cultural society (acceptance of other cultures).

En las últimas décadas, hemos asistido a un debate cada vez más intenso en torno a la conservación del centro histórico de la ciudad, cuyo mayor interés como patrimonio cultural queda meterializado en estructuras y elementos de carácter fundamentalmente arquitectónico, integrantes del propio entorno edificado (built environment) del casco histórico. Restos arqueológicos de origen romano, arcos medievales de estilo gótico, fachadas modernas del siglo XIX, o hasta una lápida funeraria, forman parte de ese conjunto de patrimonio que, sepultado en suelos o paredes de edificios, calles o plazas, nos invita a conocer in situ la evolución histórica y urbanística de la ciudad a lo largo los siglos. Sin embargo, su total integración en el tejido urbano nos plantea cuestiones complejas de índole tanto conceptual como práctica a la hora de acometer acciones y medidas para su digna conservación y puesta en valor. El presente trabajo reflexiona sobre esas complejidades inherentes a la política de patrimonio a partir del caso concreto del centro histórico de Tarragona (la Part Alta). El artículo se estructura en tres partes bien diferenciadas, en las cuales se someten a un análisis por separado los principales factores que condicionan el presente y el futuro del patrimonio: 1) Compatibilidad entre la política de protección del patrimonio y el planeamiento urbanístico; 2) Selección de los bienes para la conservación; y 3) Agentes participantes de la conservación y la puesta en valor. La experiencia de Tarragona atestigua la enorme dificultad que entraña la conjunción de la política de patrimonio y el urbanismo, dos políticas que a menudo siguen objetivos poco concordantes e incluso contrapuestos. La conservación del patrimonio, sin embargo, no siempre constituye un mecanismo articulado para fosilizar la fisonomía externa de la ciudad. La misma política a veces actúa como motor de cambio con gran incidencia en el espacio de la vida ciudadana, una fuerza innovadora aportada sobre todo por la intervención de agentes privados que se identifican con el patrimonio común de la ciudad.

Mongolia achieved democracy in 1990. During the several years after democratization, due to various difficulties accompanying the transitional economy, the Mongolian economy dropped into a period of stagnation. However because of economic structural reconstruction and support from foreign countries like Japan, the Mongolian government made steady progress toward a market economy. Since 1994 the country has dramatically developed. In particular, the capital, Ulaanbaatar, has experienced great influences due to the market economy, not only positive but also negative impacts. Ulaanbaatar has absorbed a population increase since the market economy system was introduced, however, urban improvement projects have fallen behind the population growth. A very small number of people have received the majority of the benefits of the market economy, while in contrast, thousands of ordinary people have received almost nothing, due to the lack of a social system that prevents inequality of wealth distribution. Reflecting this developing social system, the number of people in poverty is increasing in the whole of Ulaanbaatar. Fortunately, the increase in population in poverty has not resulted in a rise in the crime ratio. However it is necessary to improve the living environment that is directly connected to the citizens’ daily lives, otherwise a growing economic gap between the extremely rich and the poor could be a factor in increasing social instability.

Da das Städtesystem eines Landes die aktuelle Situation seiner sozioökonomischen Entwicklung widerspiegelt, entsteht eine enge Beziehung zwischen beiden Seiten. Für eine gleichmäßige Entwicklung eines Landes ist ein Städtesystem des Typs „Rank-Size-Rule“ oder eine polyzentrische Struktur wie in Deutschland nützlicher und wertvoller als ein System des „Primate-City“-Typs. Sie spielen auch eine bedeutende Rolle in der heutigen Globalisierung, wo die Zentren der überregionalen Gebiete, und nicht mehr wie früher die Hauptstädte, das Netz der Städtesysteme untereinander knüpfen. Zudem ist es notwendig, dass – wie in Deutschland – die Unterzentren dicht verteilt und aktiv tätig sind, so dass sie die umliegenden ländlichen Regionen mit städtischen Dienstleistungen versorgen können.

Viele Jahre lang war die gleichmäßige Entwicklung des ganzen Landes das wichtigste Ziel der japanischen Raumplanung, obwohl es nicht so klar ausgedrückt wurde wie das Ziel der gleichwertigen Lebensverhältnisse in Deutschland. Zwar hat man in Japan stets angestrebt, die unipolare Konzentration auf Tokyo zu reduzieren, allerdings haben die regionalen Disparitäten gar nicht abgenommen. So hat sich das Hauptkonzept der japanischen Raumordnung in letzter Zeit von der gleichmäßigen Entwicklung des ganzen Landes zur individuellen Entwicklung einzelner Gebiete verändert. Ich meine dagegen, dass am Ziel der gleichmäßigen Entwicklung des Landes festgehalten werden soll, und dass die entsprechenden Maßnahmen für das japanische Städtesystem durchgeführt werden sollen.

After the mid 1990s, the Indian economy grew rapidly owing to industrialization. However, most industries are located in certain metropolitan regions. In order to reduce the regional disparity, the Indian government promotes investment in the peripheral areas through a preferential taxation system. Some local governments adopt a progressive approach to attract enterprises. However, basic infrastructure and maintenance are lacking in the peripheral regions. Therefore, industrial development in peripheral regions requires urban infrastructure: roads, sanitary facilities, electricity, water, housing for workers’ families, etc. This paper aims to present a report on the development of the industrial city in India.

Uttarakhand is an underdeveloped state in the north-eastern part of India. Its geography includes a few Himalayan mountains, hills, and a few plains. In an effort to boost its economy, the Uttarakhand government developed the Integrated Industrial Estate (IIE), Rudrapur. The IIE is a large-scale industrial estate comprising many major factories. However, the local government does not have a housing board for workers. Therefore, it depends on private developers for housing provisions. All developers are not local but metropolitan investment from Delhi. Three major housing projects have started in Rudrapur. One of the projects, Metropolis City, includes a range of condominiums, a commercial zone, and a hotel. Green Park, another project, comprises two thousand detached houses, commercial buildings, and a hotel. Lake City, the third project, contains several types of flats and condominiums. All the houses are affordable to the wealthier classes who refuse to live in rural areas. The wealthy communities are comfortable and secure because their residential areas are protected by strong, big gates with several security guards. Most residents are aloof from the local and rural people. Therefore, these are ‘prestigious gated communities’.

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the process of the formation of the Korean Commercial District with the investment from Korea in Changchun, China, through the role of the Changchun local government.

The policy of the Merit Review System of the Chinese Government has influence even on the unban planning of the local city since the opening-up of China.

As an example of it, the Korean Commercial District was established in Changchun, and it has become one of the contributive factors to the Changchun economy. Changchun’s Korean Commercial District started spontaneously at the first stage, and has since grown gradually to the second stage of the designed development. At the beginning of the District, the opening of shops and offices by Korean students was the trigger, and as time passes both the Changchun City Government and the Kangwon Province Government of South Korea have given strong support to it. The Changchun Government has taken charge of preparing favorable environments for capital investment and business management for Korean students and businessmen staying in Changchun. At the sometime the Kangwon Province Government has focused on attracting investment from South Korea, and asking for official support to the Changchun Government in order to help those Koreans who have difficulties or need assistance.

But because the introduction plan of Korean capital has not been successful, the Changchun City Government established the Guilin Office to provide overall services for the Korean Commercial District.

Now it is clear that the Changchun City Government has played a major role at the second stage of development.

The starting point of the Changchun’s Korean Commercial District was activation of the urban economy. This is because the top management of the city began to be eager to add to their achievements, as is seen all over in China, due to the introduction of the Merit Review System, since the opening-up of China. In order to do this they used their power and positively pumped a lot of money into the project and invited more people from Korea. The Korean Commercial District was constructed in this context.

The construction of the Changchun’s Korean Commercial District and the following growth of the City are results of the collaboration of the top management , the Merit Review System and the administrative performance. And the collaboration led to the economic development in Changchun. This is a representative case of the development of a commercial district in China after the opening-up of China.