Analyzing the Urban Form in Suburban Areas of the South Bengal Region Using Built Fractals

Abstract

A dynamic combination of environmental, social, and economic factors shapes and manages the urban landscape. Understanding these factors behind urban growth can help us discern more about its past and future. This study examines the fractal dimension of the built-up area (BUA) boundaries of two municipalities in the emerging South Bengal Region (SBR) urban areas that have developed gradually over the last three decades. Fractalyse software (version 3.0-0.9.1) was used to estimate the fractal dimension using the box-counting method and generalized nonlinear and logarithmic models to link the changing socioeconomic patterns of the study areas over time. The fractal dimension measurement increased significantly between 1991 and 2021, with the overall global structure growing similarly to large metropolises in developed economies in the 20th century. In particular, the models have offered a framework for examining the link between urban form and socioeconomic structure to construct the concept of spatial replacement dynamics in urban landscapes. The results of this study have the potential to aid cities in gaining a deeper understanding of the possibilities and threats they will face in the future and in formulating efficient plans to improve their adaptation and resilience. The findings of this study also imply that urban fringes are conducive to denser expansion and prosperous economic growth. The fractal dimension values decrease as the distance from Kolkata, the core city, increases, while upscaled industrial zones create inhospitable landscapes along the Hooghly River. Therefore, this study suggests several recommendations for sustainable growth and development corresponding to the rapid urbanization of eco-sensitive zones in developing economies. According to this study, the SBR's population is anticipated to expand, suggesting that economic forces would contribute to the region's urbanization, tending toward built environment saturation. While population growth and development are desirable, they may pose social, economic, and environmental challenges in the studied regions if they occur at an insufficient pace. Sustainable development and conservation efforts in places of high environmental significance need the findings of this research to be used in contexts comparable to those in South Bengal, India. Applications in Urban Form and Development: Sustainability Planning may benefit from urban form studies because they reveal information about the spatial organization of urban areas in eco-sensitive zones, which is helpful for both ecological planning and the identification of ecologically sensitive areas needing protection and conservation. In the same vein, urban form studies assist in the planning and designing of infrastructure projects, which in turn may help facilitate sustainable infrastructure development by improving our knowledge of natural topography and the reallocation of space in response to an expanding built environment. This safeguards the area's ecology, biodiversity, and ecological equilibrium by ensuring that development interventions have minimal adverse effects. Practical applications of socioeconomic studies knowing how a population's socioeconomic features stack up helps improve livelihoods and increase community involvement in decision-making. Incorporating local knowledge makes it possible to better tailor development projects to the wants, requirements, and cultural norms of the people living in environmentally vulnerable areas. Policymakers may use it, and the general public benefits from more conservation and heightened understanding. Protecting the environment, promoting sustainable livelihoods, engaging people, formulating effective policies, and raising awareness of the need for conservation are all achievable via the application of urban form and socioeconomic research in eco-sensitive zones of South Bengal. These applications aid in the maintenance of biodiversity, the improvement of local quality of life, and the promotion of long-term economic growth in the area.