Comparing densification patterns

Densification is not the same as densification. It can take various forms - each with their specific benefits and drawbacks for different social groups. What forms exist, where and under which circumstances do they occur, and what role do land policies play in steering these densification patterns?

In our comparison of urban development in Utrecht and Bern, we distinguish five types of densification. The types describe:

• how the new housing units differ from their surroundings regarding morphological and socio-demographic variables,

• through which transformation process they were constructed, and

• the scale of densification projects.

Have a look at the map below to see how the five types are distributed in Utrecht.