Polycentric city development

The characteristics of modern metropolis decide that the governance model of metropolitan area must change from single centre to multi centres, try to maintain and promote the autonomous order as the main objective of metropolitan governance. The polycentric development of space must be accompanied by the polycentric governance so that the formation of multi centre space is possible. The polycentric model of space development in modern metropolis is based on the thinking logic of multi centre governance instead of traditional public administration.

This new theory is not a new concept. Howard's conception of "social city" is actually the earliest elaboration of the compact and polycentric expansion of metropolis space, and then Mumford's "regional city" is also the advocacy of the polycentric spatial development model. No matter Howard or Mumford, both of them did not forget the polycentric governance when they constructed the multi centres space. Howard's exposition of "social city" aims to build a "Urban Agglomeration" surrounded by a permanent green matrix (Town-cluster). "Social city" is the basic model of spatial polycentric and governance polycentric coordination. It can be regarded as a city model that can grow and can be expanded continually.