POLYCE: Metropolisation and Polycentric Development in Central Europe
Bratislava, Budapest, Ljubljana, Praha and Wien form a Central European quintet of metropolises with exceptionally high living standards. Beyond this commonality each of the five metropolises is showing a distinct profile in economy, environment, mobility and human capital which gives them each a specific role to play as potential generator of metropolitan development within the Central European urban system. POLYCE, an ESPON research project - brings together universities and stakeholders from these five metropolises, sets up to analyse the cities' future competitive and cooperative potentials among each other and towards other metropolises, and draws an up-to-date picture of the preconditions for smart urban development in Central Europe bringing forward in a comprehensive but critical way the possibilities and strategic options for a cohesive development. analyses the strategic position of the five Central European capital cities Bratislava, Budapest, Ljubljana, Prague, and Vienna in Europe, describes and assesses the relations between them, and shows specific ways of metropolitan development strengthening competitive and inclusive development in a smart and balanced way. the detection and meaning of distinct pre-conditions for metropolitan growth the description and discussion of polycentricity for metropolitan development the elaboration of metropolitan profiles as a starting point for strategic endeavours of positioning respective metropolises in the European urban system.
