PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2009, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (5): 735-743.doi: 10.11820/dlkxjz.2009.05.011

• Original Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Fractal Study on Spatial Structure of City Recreation Sites System: A Case Study of Suzhou City Area

HUANG Tai1,2,3|BAO Jigang1|DAI Xuejun4   

  1. 1. Center for Tourism Planning and Research, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China|
    2. Department of Tourism Management, Suzhou University, Suzhou 215021, China|
    3. Faculty of Environmental Studies, University of Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada;
    4. Department of Economic Management, Huizhou University, Huizhou 516007, China
  • Online:2009-09-25 Published:2009-09-25

Abstract:

City recreation sites system is one kind of complex system combining nature with socio-culture, and it is also the core object of harmonious city development planning. The spatial structure of Suzhou recreation sites system is studied during the new period of China using fractal theories and methods. Suzhou recreation sites system is divided into three recreation subsystems located in the ancient city, new city and outer city areas, which are the three districts planned in the 2008 general planning of Suzhou city. Then, using the aggregation dimension, spatial correlation dimension and grid dimension as indexes, the spatial structures of Suzhou recreation sites system are studied thoroughly. Results and findings are as follows. Firstly, city recreation sites system is fractal, and it has good fractal characteristics. Secondly, the fractal indexes depict recreation system structure well. They are helpful to interpret the theory of ReBAM and can be used for recreation system optimization. Thirdly, the spatial structure of Suzhou recreation sites system exhibit a gradient tendency from a loose core to a compact extended structure, and the decentralization phenomenon of self-organization ability stands out. The distribution pattern of recreation sites system has a similar structure as the demand structure for recreation sites and it can depict the spatial development tendency of mature recreation sites system well. Accordingly, it is a kind of absolutely necessary work that guides and improves the self-organization ability of recreation sites system in our harmonious city development. Lastly, contrasting with the former research results, it shows that recreation sites system and tourism attractions system have different fractal structures, but it is reasonable and caters to the essence of recreation and tourism.

Key words: city recreation sites system, fractal, spatial structure, Suzhou city area