Comparing recent suburban developments in Austria and the Netherlands

In the past twenty-five years, urban areas have expanded strongly in both Austria and the Netherlands. Moreover, the shape and composition of suburban areas has changed. Whereas suburban areas used to be dominated by residential and industrial functions, traditionally urban functions, such as shops, offices, and cinemas, have found their way into the periphery of cities and villages. Furthermore, recreational functions have become more widespread along the urban fringes.

However, the spatial analysis of suburban developments in Austria and the Netherlands, and the analysis of four case-study areas, lead us to conclude that beyond these similarities, there are some differences regarding the spatial characteristics of suburban areas. These can be ascribed to distinctive territorial and administrative conditions, but more specifically, to very different planning cultures concerning the spatial domain.

The chapter in this book asserts that planning policy is one of the factors that has strong influence on the scale, shape, and functional composition of suburban developments. In correlation with other influencing factors (such as territorial, socio-economic, and institutional conditions) comparative studies of planning cultures and spatial developments in different countries can contribute to a better understanding of suburban developments. After all, a better understanding of the factors that affect urbanization is a basic prerequisite to being able to create more sustainable urban and suburban areas in the future.