Universitätsbibliothek
Weimar Open Access

Reinhard König, Daniela Müller

• The structure and development of cities can be seen and evaluated from different points of view. By replicating the growth or shrinkage of a city using historical maps depicting different time states, we can obtain momentary snapshots of the dynamic mechanisms of the city. An examination of how these snapshots change over the course of time and a comparison of the different static time statesThe structure and development of cities can be seen and evaluated from different points of view. By replicating the growth or shrinkage of a city using historical maps depicting different time states, we can obtain momentary snapshots of the dynamic mechanisms of the city. An examination of how these snapshots change over the course of time and a comparison of the different static time states reveals the various interdependencies of population density, technical infrastructure and the availability of public transport facilities. Urban infrastructure and facilities are not distributed evenly across the city – rather they are subject to different patterns and speeds of spread over the course of time and follow different spatial and temporal regularities. The reasons and underlying processes that cause the transition from one state to another result from the same recurring but varyingly pronounced hidden forces and their complex interactions. Such forces encompass a variety of economic, social, cultural and ecological conditions whose respective weighting defines the development of a city in general. Urban development is, however, not solely a product of the different spatial distribution of economic, legal or social indicators but also of the distribution of infrastructure. But to what extent is the development of a city affected by the changing provision of infrastructure? As…