Cluster of Excellence Methodology

The Proyecto CITIES research methodology was developed by Fundación Metrópoli to identify the group of "Components of Excellence" in the participating cities. These are elements of the city that are attractive or successful from the economic, social or environmental point of view. Special attention is given to the urban components that impact the physical form or structure of the city. The Cluster of Excellence methodology, which is applied in each participating city, with the collaboration of the local authority and/or a local university or research centre, comprises the following basic components:

1. The City Forum

2. Critical Cartography

3. Urban Indicators

4. International Context

5. Space Syntax

The key element of this methodology is the opportunity to identify the Critical Projects for the region that are able to build upon the Cluster of Excellence and which are the initiatives with the greatest potential to create competitive advantages in the new global realities.

The City Forum is a key element in the research methodology. It comprises leaders from the public and private sectors as well as the civil society, that is, representing all the sectors. The members of the City Forum give their response to a comprehensive diagnostic questionnaire covering all major aspects of the city. These responses offer invaluable insight into the current reality and future possibilities for the city.

The physical form and structure of the city-region have implications for its economic competitiveness, social cohesion and environmental sustainability. For this reason, a set of interpretative Critical Cartography is necessary to understand the underlying structure of the metropolitan region, uncover structural and spatial relations between different parts of the city, and also to locate the components of the "Cluster of Excellence" in their geographic context.

Urban Indicators help to interpret the urban reality of the participating city. These objective indicators complement the interpretative cartography as well as the City Forum questionnaire, which reflect perceptions, opinions and attitudes. Also, the indicators enable some comparisons to be made between cities and over time.

The International Context that each city finds itself in is a conditioning factor in the definition of its strategic profile. The results of this section of research are basically graphic in nature: a set of simple maps with essential information that is important for the understanding the wider contextual conditions of the city region.

The Space Syntax research on the structure of the city uses detailed digital street cartography to generate axial maps that define the different level of "centralities" of the different streets in relation to the entire urbanised area. This research can be used to compare the efficiency and integration of urban structures; to detect the potential locations for particular activities; and to evaluate development alternatives