Spatial Data Analysis and Tool
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Sustainability Issue 2 |
This analytical tool has been developed in order to interrogate and explain economic and land use clusters and associated social and quality of life impacts. Decoding urban diversity explains the approach and underlying methodologies, and presents their application in practice, based on the Clerkenwell survey.
Generating the Tool
Since we have been testing how far diversity/density is sustainable in practice we needed to define areas at various scales, and in terms of the social (amenity, leisure), economic (employment, services) and environmental (public space, accessibility, land-use) mix. In the absence of detailed design guidance, planning classification - or ways of measuring and monitoring urban carrying capacity - detailed analysis was undertaken to map the case study areas using GIS. This included land-use data in 2D plan and 3D (vertical uses), economic/industry classification, recorded crime (street, vehicle and burglary, 24 hour crime clock), and commercial and community facility data.
Space Syntax analysis was also undertaken of the street and pedestrian routes (axial maps), with on-street surveys undertaken of pedestrian movement in Clerkenwell (and Sheffield). Primary survey data (household, business, pedestrian) were also mapped in both city locations. Synthesis of this data produced correlations between various diversity and sustainability factors, such as evening economy (clubs/bars/restaurants) and street/vehicle crime; mixed-use and burglary; economic clusters and premises; and the degree and types of mix by small area, and the quality of life issues expressed by residents (see Case Studies).
Decoding urban diversity in a mixed-use neighbourhood [pdf document, 1906kb] presents the tool development and application in depth, as applied in the Clerkenwell case study area.
