Diversity and density of urban functions in station areas

TL;DR

This study empirically examines how the diversity and density of urban functions in Tokyo station areas relate, revealing that higher density often correlates with lower diversity, impacting urban vibrancy and planning strategies.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence on the association between urban function diversity and density, using a novel density index and analysis at multiple scales.

Findings

Highly dense station areas tend to have low diversity.

Negative correlation due to spatial characteristics and accessibility.

Implications for urban planning to enhance vibrancy.

Abstract

The diversity and density of urban functions have been known to affect urban vibrancy positively, but the relation between the two has not been empirically examined; if high density is associated with low diversity in an area, its vibrancy may not increase. To obtain a better understanding of the metabolism of cities and directions for urban planning interventions, this paper offers empirical evidence on the association between the diversity and density of urban functions in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, using a robust density index that was determined via a Monte Carlo simulation. By conducting association analyses, it was found that highly dense station areas tended to display low diversity at multiple scales. Further investigation indicated that this negative correlation was owing to different spatial characteristics of functions and complementary functioning among highly accessible station areas. This paper argues for considering both diversity and density in urban planning to make station areas vibrant and resilient.