In the process of globalization, cities are drived into a pyramidal city system. The metropolises are the core of the global or regional economy, performing the management and control function. Against the background of globalization, urbans in the growth region of metropolitan area in China are facing not only many chances, but also some challenges. However, the urban development in the growth region of the metropolitan area is complicated and dynamic. Since the growth region is a part of the metropolitan area, its development should be coordinated with the metropolitan developing strategies, and make the best of its advantages, to define the direction of the industries, to position them correctly, and give the needed advices. Based on the international experience, this article classified the evolution of the spatial structure and functional system into four processes: urban independent development period, growth region incubating period, growth region developing and expanding period, and growth region innovative development period. This study selects the Yuhang Subarea as the case of study. It first analysed its regional background and its characteristics from scale and structure angles, and explored the development trend and trajectory of the growth region. Then, it put forward four spatial patterns of urban clusters: subcity model of metropolitan network, innovation core and anti-magnetic cluster model, cultural innovation and transportation cluster model, and ecological corridor and tourist cluster model. Consequently, it compared the characteristics and conditions of application of the four models. Finally, it concluded by summarizing five relationships in urban sptial development in the growth region of the metropolitan area: work division with core kernel metropolitan, correlations with the dynamic change of the metropolitan population, correlations with the network of metropolitan economic region, relationship between historical heritage protection and regional culture of the metropolitan area, and the coupling of ecological spatial network and regional ecological structure.