Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Using Quality of Life Criteria to Define Urban Areas in Catalonia

  • Published:
Social Indicators Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to develop the concept and definition of multidimensional urban areas, thereby providing insights into our understanding of the sub-regional structures of household spatial systems. Hence, we propose a framework for strategic planning that considers several areas of household needs. In order to achieve this goal, we develop a multicriteria methodology to define the territorialisation of the region of Catalonia (Spain). We first analyse the different methodologies used to define territorial areas based on economic criteria, for example, those used to construct travel-to-work areas (TTWA), among other methods. Thus, in practice several criteria and techniques are used to organize a territory, including administrative areas, commuting-based algorithms, and gravitational techniques. Finally, these points help us build a system of multicriteria urban areas that is consistent with the overall use of time by individuals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Map 1
Fig. 1
Map 2
Map 3
Map 4
Map 5
Map 6
Map 7
Map 8
Map 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. “… a monocentric model of metropolitan structure is increasingly inappropriate for present metropolitan areas” (Palumbo et al. 1990).

  2. Another approach involves the use of mathematical algorithms to group together the most similar zones according to different variables (which can be geographical, social or economic). These are collectively known as “supervised regionalization methods” and include techniques such as cluster algorithms, genetic algorithms, heuristic methods or linear and nonlinear programming. They usually impose a priori constrains, like the geographical contiguity of regions or a pre-defined number of regions. Hagood et al. (1941) first introduced this methodology to group the states of the United States into “regions”. Duque et al. (2007) is a good survey of these methods.

  3. We are grateful to ODECAT, which provided a significant amount of quantitative information for this stage.

  4. Ferriss (2001) has decomposed Quality of Life in ten components (“domains”), Liu (1978) uses three main dimensions and almost twenty components, and Mukherjee (1989) surveys the literature about quality of life and decides upon four basic categories.

  5. Weber classified actions as: instrumentally rational action, value-rational action, affective behaviour and traditional behaviour (Weber 1968, 1980).

  6. Comarques were defined in 1935 and their boundaries have changed several times. The average extension of a Catalan comarca is 778 km2. At present, the regional government is discussing a new model of territorial organisation for Catalonia.

  7. In order to calculate these weights we used the Estadística de Bibliotecas 2000, from the Spanish Statistics Institute (INE).

  8. Open air sports centre (>400 m2) 20%; tennis courts (>400 m2) 4%; fronton court (>200 m2) 1%; football, rugby, hockey pitches, etc. (>4000 m2) 29%; indoor sports centres (>400 m2) 20%; indoor sports centres (>50 m2) 10%; open air swimming pools (>50 m2) 0.4%; indoor swimming pools (>50 m2) 0.4%; athletics tracks (200, 300 and 400 linear meters) 3%; other conventional spaces 1%; other specific spaces (ski, golf, etc.) 10%; other specific small spaces 0.4%.

  9. Crone (1999) proposes an interesting alternative: clustering areas with a common economic evolution. The problem is that he uses monthly data, which are not readily available at a municipal level. This makes the application of this method unpractical for our purposes.

  10. Some criticisms of previous methodologies are: their hierarchical nature (top-down methods), as they pre-define the centres of systems. Thus, they usually create aggregations that are too large when used in metropolitan areas and they ignore previous administrative boundaries.

  11. When using this algorithm for students’ commuting flows, two municipalities were left alone because both their inflows and their outflows were close to zero.

  12. It is interesting to note that the different curves cross at certain distances, which shows the territorial heterogeneity of the distribution of shopping and cultural services.

References

  • Andersen, A. K. (2002). Are commuting areas relevant for the delimitation of administrative regions in Denmark? Regional Studies, 36(8), 833–844. doi:10.1080/0034340022000012289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Antikainen, J. (2005). The concept of urban functional area. The findings of the ESPON Project 1.1.1. Informationen zur Raumentwicklung, 7, 447–452.

  • Artís, M., Suriñach, J., Romaní, J., & Reyes, M. (1999b). Sistemes i subsistemes urbans a la província de Barcelona, Mimeo, Grup d’Anàlisi Quantitativa Regional, Universitat de Barcelona.

  • Artís, M., Suriñach, J., Royuela, V., Lopez-Tamayo, J., & Reyes, M. (1999a). La qualitat de vida a la provincia de Barcelona (1991–1997), Mimeo, Grup d’Anàlisi Quantitativa Regional, Universitat de Barcelona.

  • Baker, M., & Wong, C. (1997). Planning for housing land in the English regions: A critique of household projections and regional planning guidance mechanisms. Environment & Planning C, 15, 73–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casado-Díaz, J. M. (1997). Spatial labour market areas in Spain: A case study. 37° ERSA Congress, Rome.

  • Casado-Díaz, J. M. (2000). Local labour market areas in Spain: A case study. Regional Studies, 34(9), 843–856. doi:10.1080/00343400020002976.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casado-Díaz, J. M., & Coombes, M. G. (2004). Delineation of local labour market areas (LLMAs). NECTAR Cluster 4 Workshop, Alicante.

  • Castañer, M., Vicente, J., & Boix, G. (Coor.) (2000). Areas urbanas y movilidad laboral en España, Girona, Servei de Publicacions, Universitat de Girona. http://iei.ua.es:9673/commuting/Libroareasurbanas.html

  • Coombes, M. (2000). Defining locality boundaries with synthetic data. Environment and Planning A, 32(8), 1499–1518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coombes, M. G., Green, A. E., & Openshaw, S. (1986). An efficient algorithm to generate official statistical reporting areas: The case of the 1984 travel-to-work areas revision in Britain. The Journal of the Operational Research Society, 37, 943–953. doi:10.2307/2582282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa, A., Navarro, S., & Rovira, C. (1996). El ajuste de la movilidad laboral obligada mediante modelos de atracción. El caso del Censo de Población 1991 de Cataluña. XXII Reunión de Estudios Regionales, Pamplona.

  • Crone, T. M. (1999). Using state indexes to define economic regions in the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Working Paper, no. 99-19, 1999. www.phil.frb.org/econ/wps/wp99.html

  • Cullingworth, J. B. (1997). British land-use planning: A failure to cope with change? Urban Studies (Edinburgh Scotland), 34(5–6), 945–960. doi:10.1080/0042098975907.

    Google Scholar 

  • De la Espriella, C. (2007). Designing for equality: Conceptualising a tool for strategic territorial planning. Habitat International, 31(3–4), 317–332. doi:10.1016/j.habitatint.2007.04.003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doyal, L., & Gough, I. (1994). Teoría de las necesidades humanas. Madrid: Icaria/FUHEM.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duque, J. C., Ramos, R., & Suriñach, J. (2007). Supervised regionalization methods: A survey. International Regional Science Review, 30(3), 195–220. doi:10.1177/0160017607301605.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, A. (2003). Shouting very loudly: Economics, planning and politics. The Town Planning Review, 74, 195–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferris, A. L. (2001). The domains of the quality of life. Bulletin de Methodologie Sociologique, 72, 5–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox, K. A., & Kumar, T. K. (1965). The functional economic area: Delineation and implications for economic analysis and policy. Papers and Proceedings of the Regional Science Association, 15, 57–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagood, M., Danileski, N., & Beum, C. (1941). An examination of the use of factor analysis in the problem of subregional delineation. Rural Sociology, 6(3), 216–233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heller, A. (1978). Las teorías de las necesidades en Marx. Madrid: Península.

    Google Scholar 

  • INSEE (1998a). Les decoupages du territoire. INSEE Méthodes nums. 77, 77 and 78. Paris.

  • INSEE (1998b). Les zonages: enjeaux et méthodes. INSEE Méthodes num. 83, Paris.

  • ISTAT. (1997). I Sistemi Locali del Lavoro. Rome: ISTAT.

    Google Scholar 

  • ISTAT. (2002). Metodologia utilizzata per l’estime sull’occupazione residente e le persone in cerca di occupazione nei Sistemi Locali di Lavoro per gli anni 1998–2000. Rome: ISTAT.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, C. (2002). The definition of housing market areas and strategic planning. Urban Studies (Edinburgh, Scotland), 39(3), 549–564. doi:10.1080/00420980220112829.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, C., Leishman, C., & Watkins, C. (2005). Housing market processes, urban housing submarkets and planning policy. The Town Planning Review, 76(2), 33–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, B. C. (1978). Variations in social quality of life indicators in medium metropolitan areas. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 37(3), 241–260. doi:10.1111/j.1536-7150.1978.tb01227.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luzón, J. L., Vila, J., & Rubio, F. (2003). La delimitación del Área Metropolitana de Barcelona aplicando el método NUREC. Barcelona: Publicacions de la Universitat de Barcelona.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslow, A. H. (1975). Motivación y personalidad. Barcelona: Sagitario.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattingly, M. (2001). Spatial planning for urban infrastructure investment. A guide to training and practice. Development Planning Unit (DPU), University College of London.

  • Mills, E. (1990). Do metropolitan areas mean anything? Journal of Regional Science, 30(3), 415–419. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9787.1990.tb00108.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukherjee, R. (1989). The quality of life : Valuation in social research. New Delhi: Sage Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • N.U.R.E.C. (1994). Atlas of agglomerations in the European Union. Network of Urban Research in the European Union, Duisburg.

  • Ortega y Gasset (1980). El hombre y la gente, Alianza Editorial, Madrid.

  • O’Sullivan, T., Young, G., Maclennan, D., Gibb, K., Mclaren, J., Britain, A., et al. (2004). Local housing system analysis, good practice guide, Communities Scotland.

  • Pacinelli, A. (1998). Sull’autocontenimento del lavoro nei sistemi locali del lavoro dell’Italia peninsulare. Un’analisi esplorativa dei SLL dell’Italia peninsulare. Economia & Lavoro, 32(2), 73–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palacio, G. (dir.) (1998). Cohesió, centralitat i cohesió iterativa a Catalunya: 1981–1986–1991-avanç 1996. Departament d’Obres Públiques, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona.

  • Palumbo, G., Sacks, S., & Wasylenko, M. (1990). Population and decentralization within metropolitan areas, 1970–1980. Journal of Urban Economics, 27, 151–167. doi:10.1016/0094-1190(90)90012-C.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roca-Cladera, J., & Moix, M. (2005). The interaction value: Its scope and limits as an instrument for delimiting urban systems. Regional Studies, 39(3), 357–373. doi:10.1080/00343400500087372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romaní, J., Suriñach, J., & Artís, M. (2002). A territorial model of commuting in Catalonia. In J. Van Dijk, P. Elhorst, J. Oosterhaven, & E. Wever (Eds.), Urban regions: Governing interacting, economic, housing and transport systems (pp. 195–216). Nederlandse Geografische Studies/Netherlands Geographical Studies (Monographic no. 303). Utrecht.

  • Romaní, J., Suriñach, J., & Artís, M. (2003). Are commuting and residential mobility decisions simultaneous?: The case of Catalonia (Spain). Regional Studies, 37(8), 813–826. doi:10.1080/0034340032000128730.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romaní, J., Suriñach, J., & Artís, M. (2006). Mobilitat laboral obligada i sistemes urbans a la provincia de Barcelona, 1991–2001. In Informe Territorial de la Província de Barcelona, 2006 (pp. 191–220). Cambra Oficial de Comerç, Indústria i Navegació Barcelona.

  • Sen, A. (1973). On economic inequality. Oxford: Clarenton Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shutz, A., & Luckmann, T. (1973). Las estructuras del mundo de la vida. Buenos Aires: Amorrortu.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smart, M. W. (1974). Labour market areas: uses and definition. Progress in Planning, 2(4), 238–253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suriñach, J., Romaní, J., Reyes, M., & Royuela, V. (2000). Urban systems in the Barcelona province. 40 ERSA Congress, Barcelona.

  • Suriñach, J., Romaní, J., Reyes, M., & Royuela, V. (2001). Sistemas urbanos en la provincia de Barcelona. Reus: Concreso de la Asociación Española de Ciencia Regional.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, P. (2004). Planning for a better future. Habitat Debate, 10(4), 1–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Der Laan, L. (1998). Changing urban systems: An empirical analysis at two spatial levels. Regional Studies, 32, 235–247. doi:10.1080/00343409850119733.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weber, M. (1968). Economy and society: an outline of interpretative sociology. New York.

  • Weber, M. (1980). Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft (5th ed.). Tübingen.

  • Wish, N. D. (1986). Are we really measuring the quality of life? Well-being has subjective dimensions, as well as objective ones. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 45(1), 93–99. doi:10.1111/j.1536-7150.1986.tb01906.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Witkin, B. R., & Altschuld, J. W. (1995). Planning and conducting needs assessment: A practical guide. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grup d’Anàlisi Quantitativa Regional (AQR-IREA), Universitat de Barcelona, Facultad CC. Económicas, Av. Diagonal, 690, 08034, Barcelona, Spain

    Vicente Royuela, Javier Romaní & Manuel Artís

Authors
  1. Vicente Royuela
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Javier Romaní
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Manuel Artís
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vicente Royuela.

Additional information

We are grateful to Mónica Reyes for allowing us to use some of the results of her previous research, and to Jordi Suriñach for his support and comments. This paper summarises the results of a study developed for the Observatori de Desenvolupament Estratègic de Catalunya (ODECAT), of the Regional Government of Catalonia. We also thank the financial support of, SEJ2006-07665, SEJ2007-67767-C04-02, and CICYT SEJ2005-04348-ECON.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Royuela, V., Romaní, J. & Artís, M. Using Quality of Life Criteria to Define Urban Areas in Catalonia. Soc Indic Res 90, 419–440 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-008-9269-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-008-9269-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation