Schlagwort-Archiv: territories with geographical specificities

Allgemein, Publikationen, , , , ,

Arge Alp: a strong region despite or because of the mountains?

In their latest working paper, Tobias Chilla and Markus Lambracht examine the reasons for the success of regions within the 'Arbeitsgemeinschaft Alpenländer' (Arge Alp). The question is to what extent this success is due to the topography, and to what extent it is in spite of it. Their analysis is based on secondary demographic statistics, comparing areas belonging to the Alpine region as defined by the Alpine Convention with areas outside this region. The results show that Arge Alp has estab...

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Allgemein, Forschung & Projekte, Publikationen, Veranstaltungen, , , , , , , , ,

Research Group Regional Development at #IMC25 in Innsbruck

In September, Markus Lambracht and Dominik Bertram attended the International Mountain Conference 2025 (#IMC25) in Innsbruck, which is one of the most important events in the field of interdisciplinary mountain research. Over the course of the four-day event, they actively contributed as conveners, presenters, and discussants in sessions that addressed the various challenges and opportunities of spatial development facing mountain regions today. A particular highlight was the focus session “M...

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Allgemein, Forschung & Projekte, Publikationen, , , , , , , , ,

Interface territories across the Alpine region: Final results online

The InTerAlp project (Jan-Nov 2024), funded by ESPON EGTC examined interface territories across the Alpine region. Alpine ‘interface territories’ are a highly relevant and interesting spatial category. By linking mountainous and inner-Alpine areas with pre-Alpine lowlands, they are a very specific territorial type: Highly dynamic flows and interdependencies as well as controversial stakeholder interests meet in a rather limited spatial framework. Organizing sustainable spatial development in thi...

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Call for papers: Urban networks in mountain regions from a global perspective

Urban networks play a crucial role for spatial development in mountain regions. Efficient settlement systems are an important basis for a good quality of life. Effective spatial organization of urban functions can improve overall economic, social and environmental development. A variety of obstacles, including relief and altitude, demographic change, and cross-border barriers, complicate spatial development efforts in mountain areas. Settlement systems assume a vital function in addressing th...

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Forschung & Projekte, Publikationen, , , ,

Settlement Systems in Mountain Regions: A Research Gap?

Cities and their networks play an important role in spatial development. This is true for settlement systems in general, and there is no reason why this should be different in mountain contexts. However, research on this topic is scarce, and it remains a relatively niche topic. In our latest article, we present a scoping review of settlement systems in mountain regions. We reflect on thematic foci, temporal developments, and regional differences in the global scientific debate. The paper is p...

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How to overcome the ‘size problem’ of the Alpine settlement system?

The Alpine settlement system is of key relevance for sustainable development in the mountain region. However, maps on the European scale indicate almost no cities in the Alps but only a few small towns. The Alpine region seems to be an ‘empty’ space (see, e.g. Atlas for the Territorial Agenda 2030). We argue that a differentiated mapping approach should involve medium and small settlements in mountain regions, as they have a high functional importance for the surrounding area.   Our r...

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Roles beyond size? Investigating polycentricity and accessibility of small towns in the Alps

Fair accessibility to services of general interest is a considerable challenge in mountain regions due to low population density and morphological context (see, ESPON Alps2050). However, the centrality debate has hardly taken morphology into account, even though mountain areas require a specific form of spatial organization. A lower level of accessibility leads either to longer distances and travel times or (in the better case) to increased service supply in smaller settlements. Our recently ...

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