UNDERSTANDING URBAN PATTERNS Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

Abstract: In this thesis, the main field of study is urban patternsand the methodological issues involving the analysis of spatialdata across urban space. Four particular aspects are chosen toillustrate the dynamics of urban space, using Stockholm Countyas case study. The first aspect deals with residential qualityby comparing three case study areas through use of amultiple-method approach. The second deals with urban areas astargets of planning actions or arenas of citizen participation.Urban areas as risky environments are assessed by looking atchanges in crime patterns since the 1980's, using spatialstatistical measures and Geographic Information Systems (GIS),which in itself constitutes the third chosen aspect underreview. The fourth and final aspect exemplifies the city as aplace of production through the analysis of clusters ofemployment within the culture sector.Paper I (Ceccato, 1998) deals with the assessment ofresidential quality of life in three case study areas inStockholm County and constitutes the Licentiate thesis.Paper II (Ceccato&Snickars, 2000) argues for a new useof Geographic Information Systems-GIS in local planning as anauxiliary tool for decision-making.Paper III (Ceccato et al., 2001) investigates changes sincethe early 1980's in offence patterns for residential burglary,theft of and from cars, and vandalism in Stockholm City usingmethods from spatial statistics.Paper IV (Ceccato&Karlström, 2000) proposes a newmeasure of spatial association, the S-statistic, which istested using a data set of employment in the cultural sectoracross the Stockholm County.