Center - Periphery Urban Territorial Dynamics: The Case of Durrës Municipality- Albania

Abstract

Model center - periphery constitutes an efficient instrument and method to analyze geographical and territorial estimates of current developments. Model measures and evaluates developments imbalances or balance, sustainable development, directions, structural changes specific territorial space, in this case urban, exchanges and interaction interdependence, integration processes, borders etc. Its measuring is done by some quantitative statistical and qualitative indicators such as density and distribution; intensity (Davis index, indicator of central placement; indicator central business etc.); tendency of directions etc. Their assessment is based on physical, historical and monumental cultural assets; demographic and socio - economic development, positioning and their respective typology: morphological, functional and territorial. The assessments show that: the center and the periphery as two spatial categories specific to a single spatial system has clear expression in the urban territory of the municipality of Durres. This is expressed with visible changes of qualitative and quantitative indicators morphological urban, urban population, urban functions and positioning of their alignment. In all the above elements are distinguished dynamic center and periphery, a transitional zone of mixed and consolidated urban - territorial terms, without any high dynamics and a further area outside urban agglomeration, so a space of interaction with the economy functions without homogenization urban planning. According to historical- territorial aspect, Durrës city has some similarity functions of a continuum of Balkan and European cities: the port and castle city in ancient time; trade - craftsman - port in the Middle Ages, with growth and extended functional - territorial urban, industrial - port and transport hub - tourist - administrative postindustrial city, through " de-industrialization " with manufacturer profile and domination city services (administrative - port - tourist trade and services industries. The work is carried out through the theoretical references, fieldwork, secondary and primary data statistics, drawings, maps, photos and synthesizing analysis estimates the geographical perspective.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n9p552