This book presents new research and theory at the regional scale showing the forms metropolitan regions might take to achieve sustainability. At the city scale the book presents case studies based on the latest research and practice from Europe, Asia and North America, showing how both planning and flagship design can propel cities into world class status, and also improve sustainability. The contributors explore the tension between polycentric and potentially sustainable development, and urban fragmentation in a physical context, but also in a wider cultural, social and economic context.

Introduction: World cities and urban form Mike Jenks, Daniel Kozak and Pattaranan Takkanon Part 1: Theoretical Approaches in a Global Context 1. What is a 'World Class' City? Comparing conceptual specifications of cities in the context of a global urban network Ben Derudder and Frank Witlox 2. Globalisation and the Forms of Cities Peter Marcuse 3. The World City Hypothesis Revisited: Export and import of urbanity is a dangerous business Darko Radovic 4. Sustainability and the 'World Class' City: What is being sustained and for who? Judy Rogers 5. Polycentrism and 'Defragmentation': Towards a more sustainable urban form? Mike Jenks and Daniel Kozak Part 2: Polycentric Regions and Cities: perspectives from Europe, Asia and North America 6. Promoting Sustainable Urban Form: Implementing urban consolidation policies around the Helsinki Metropolitan Region Olli Maijala and Rauno Sairinen 7. Spatial Disparities Based on Human and Social Capital Natasa Urbancikova and Oto Hudec 8. The Model Barcelona: 1979-2004 and beyond Jaume Carne and Aleksandar Ivancic 9. Sustainable 'World Class' Cities and Glocal Sprawl in Southeast Asian Metropolitans Sidh Sintusingha 10. Quality of Life and Spatial Urban Forms of Mega-city Regions in Japan Kiyonobu Kaido and Jeahyun Kwon 11. Global Integration, Growth Patterns and Sustainable Development: A case study of the peri-urban area of Shanghai Jiaping Wu 12. Taichung the Waiting Metropolis and its Campaign towards a 'World Class' City: A case of glocollision, glocoalition or glocalisation? Shih-wei Lo 13. 'World Class' Vancouver: A terminal city re-imagined May So 14. Planning a 'World Class' City without Zoning: The experience of Houston Zhou Qian Part 3: Aspects of Urban Fragmentation 15. Assessing Urban Fragmentation: The emergence of new typologies in central Buenos Aires Daniel Kozak 16. Tracking Sustainable Urban Forms and Material Flows in Singapore Perry Pei-Ju Yang 17. The Right to the City: Stakeholder perspectives of Greater Cairo Metropolitan communities Wael Salah Fahmi 18. 'World Class' Living? Nuttinee Karnchanaporn and Apradee Kasemsook 19. Bangkok's Struggle to Achieve a Successful Transportation System Wapen Charoentrakulpeeti and Willi Zimmerman 20. To be or not to be a 'World Class' City? Poverty and urban form in Paris and Bucharest Oana-Liliana Pavel 21. Inner Truth of the Slums in Mega Cities: A scenario from India Vijay Neekhra, Takashi Onishi and T. Kidokoro Conclusion: The Form of Cities to Come? Mike Jenks, Daniel Kozak and Pattaranana Takkanon