The Structural and Functional Development of an Urban Network System from the Perspective of Flow Space: A Case Study of Nanjing

Globalization and informatization have exerted far-reaching impacts on the spatial connection and development of urban systems. This study, concerning the network of an urban system based on the space of flows, supplements the insufficiency on the micro-level in macro-urban network research. Taking Nanjing as an example, this study explores the characteristics of the network of the urban system from the perspective of people flow, refining the granularity of the analysis to the township- and street-level spatial units using mobile phone data. The findings are as follows: (1) There is a multicenter layered network pattern, with the main urban area being the core of the network, while Dongshan Street and Moling Street, as secondary centers, form a joint development pattern with the main urban area. (2) The spatial differentiation is significant. The spatial heterogeneity of “centralization in the central region, delayering in the north, and hierarchization in the south” is obvious. The net people inflow nodes are mainly concentrated in the main urban area and its surroundings, while the net outflow nodes are mostly located on the edge of the city. Moreover, the nodes to the south of Yangtze River are advantageous in urban resource control. (3) The phenomenon of “double shadow circle” appears in the ring of the main city and the ring of the municipal area. Moreover, the northern district experiences a serious outflow of population. (4) The effect of policy intervention is beginning to show. Improved levels of development of street and township units such as Jiangbei New District show the positive influence of national strategy on regional development.