Urban mix and commercial structure

(ongoing)

A good social, functional and urban mix (“urban mix”) is considered essential for high urban quality. The existing commercial structure could be a means of characterizing the urban mix of a place. Based on commercial register data, it is examined to what extent the commercial structure is related to other spatial and socio-economic characteristics of a place. Due to the different economic relationships between branches and forms of business, it is likely that the composition of the commercial structure is not accidental. Certain combinations could occur more often together and could thus form a series of repetitive, recognizable urban commercial typologies.

Specific questions:

• Can recurring typologies be described using the (co-) distribution of commercial forms and how are they spatially distributed?
• What other urban characteristics are these typologies correlated with? (e.g. population density, social stratification, residential structures, rental prices, mobility …)
• How did the urban typologies develop historically and can future developments of today’s urban spaces be predicted from this?