Project Summary:
Positioning institutional frameworks as dynamic drivers of urban spatial evolution, this research addresses critical gaps in understanding institutional-spatial interactions within China’s national-level new districts. Focusing on Chongqing Liangjiang New Area, the project integrates spatial analysis, surveys, in-depth interviews, and participatory observation to:
Decipher how institutional arrangements (e.g., land policies, administrative hierarchies) shape spatial restructuring.
Uncover the multi-scalar mechanisms linking institutional reforms to spatial outcomes, including industrial clustering, land-use transitions, and socio-economic disparities.
Develop a theoretical framework for analyzing institutional-spatial co-evolution in rapid urbanization contexts.
Academic Contributions:
Advances the "institutional turn" in urban geography by localizing global theories to China’s unique governance model.
Provides policy insights for optimizing institutional-spatial synergies and sustainable governance of new development zones.
Principal Investigator: Chao Heng
Duration: January 2019 – December 2021
