Cities Are Growing Upward Than Outward, Says Study

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7 Aug 2024

A new study has revealed that cities are soaring upward at a greater rate than they are spreading out


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Previously, cities expanded by occupying more territory, now they are looking at skyscraper construction for upward growth


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David Wilson from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign said the change from horizontal to vertical growth has both pros and cons


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It is positive for promoting sustainability and resource management


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However, vertical development often signal the realities of downtown gentrification, a process for displacing and isolating the poor 


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According to the study, larger cities with a population of more than 10 million people are at the forefront of the vertical transition


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In recent decades, China's urban growth has experienced a remarkable transformation


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Wide outward growth was the initial hallmark, but now taller structures are displacing shorter ones as vertical development has taken hold


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Europe's urban growth patterns have not changed much, with outward growth continuing to predominate


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Fast upward growth was rare in the 1990s but considerably more typical by the 2010s


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