Retail spatial organisation and the physical city: bridging retail geography and urban morphology

The spatial organization of stores plays a crucial role in the production and development of the urban form while, at the same time, being strongly influenced from the physical constraints of the latter. Yet the connection between retail distribution and the physical form of cities remains underexpl...

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Main Authors: Alessandro Araldi, Benjamin Wayens, Giovanni Fusco
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Société Royale Belge de Géographie and the Belgian National Committee of Geography 2024-03-01
Series:Belgeo
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/belgeo/68073
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author Alessandro Araldi
Benjamin Wayens
Giovanni Fusco
author_facet Alessandro Araldi
Benjamin Wayens
Giovanni Fusco
author_sort Alessandro Araldi
collection DOAJ
description The spatial organization of stores plays a crucial role in the production and development of the urban form while, at the same time, being strongly influenced from the physical constraints of the latter. Yet the connection between retail distribution and the physical form of cities remains underexplored. This paper aims to unify the perspectives of two distinct disciplines—retail geography and urban morphology—rooted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Retail geography, tracing its origins to classical works in American and German regional economics, and urban morphology, emerging from the convergence of architectural and geographical schools in England, Italy and France, have evolved independently since the late '60s. This paper reviews their development, highlighting theoretical and empirical studies elucidating the interrelationship between retail distribution and urban form. While both disciplines acknowledge the mutual influence of retail and cities, they have progressed independently, with retail geography focusing on the evolution of the retail sector and urban morphology emphasizing the impact of physical form on socioeconomic functions. Identifying common ground, this paper underscores spatial affinities and organizational aspects often overlooked. The paper concludes by encouraging a unified understanding, recognizing the potential for a more nuanced comprehension of the intricate dynamics between retail distribution and the physical features of cities. This approach paves the way for future interdisciplinary research, fostering collaboration in unravelling the complexities that shape urban environments.
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language English
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publisher Société Royale Belge de Géographie and the Belgian National Committee of Geography
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spelling doaj-art-49014cba8d2041efb8e39fe5d7bb81f22025-08-20T02:11:47ZengSociété Royale Belge de Géographie and the Belgian National Committee of GeographyBelgeo1377-23682294-91352024-03-01310.4000/11nj0Retail spatial organisation and the physical city: bridging retail geography and urban morphologyAlessandro AraldiBenjamin WayensGiovanni FuscoThe spatial organization of stores plays a crucial role in the production and development of the urban form while, at the same time, being strongly influenced from the physical constraints of the latter. Yet the connection between retail distribution and the physical form of cities remains underexplored. This paper aims to unify the perspectives of two distinct disciplines—retail geography and urban morphology—rooted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Retail geography, tracing its origins to classical works in American and German regional economics, and urban morphology, emerging from the convergence of architectural and geographical schools in England, Italy and France, have evolved independently since the late '60s. This paper reviews their development, highlighting theoretical and empirical studies elucidating the interrelationship between retail distribution and urban form. While both disciplines acknowledge the mutual influence of retail and cities, they have progressed independently, with retail geography focusing on the evolution of the retail sector and urban morphology emphasizing the impact of physical form on socioeconomic functions. Identifying common ground, this paper underscores spatial affinities and organizational aspects often overlooked. The paper concludes by encouraging a unified understanding, recognizing the potential for a more nuanced comprehension of the intricate dynamics between retail distribution and the physical features of cities. This approach paves the way for future interdisciplinary research, fostering collaboration in unravelling the complexities that shape urban environments.https://journals.openedition.org/belgeo/68073urban morphologyretail geographyurban form
spellingShingle Alessandro Araldi
Benjamin Wayens
Giovanni Fusco
Retail spatial organisation and the physical city: bridging retail geography and urban morphology
Belgeo
urban morphology
retail geography
urban form
title Retail spatial organisation and the physical city: bridging retail geography and urban morphology
title_full Retail spatial organisation and the physical city: bridging retail geography and urban morphology
title_fullStr Retail spatial organisation and the physical city: bridging retail geography and urban morphology
title_full_unstemmed Retail spatial organisation and the physical city: bridging retail geography and urban morphology
title_short Retail spatial organisation and the physical city: bridging retail geography and urban morphology
title_sort retail spatial organisation and the physical city bridging retail geography and urban morphology
topic urban morphology
retail geography
urban form
url https://journals.openedition.org/belgeo/68073
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AT benjaminwayens retailspatialorganisationandthephysicalcitybridgingretailgeographyandurbanmorphology
AT giovannifusco retailspatialorganisationandthephysicalcitybridgingretailgeographyandurbanmorphology