Mapping Connectedness of Global Cities: α, β and γ tiers

Mapping Connectedness of Global Cities: α, β and γ tiers

Silvio Carta^* and Marta González

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The atlas shows the categorization of world cities into α, β and γ tiers, based upon their international connectedness.¹ From this visualization it emerges where each city is virtually oriented to other cities of the same level of inter-connectivity. The world map is configured as an archipelago, where each city appears utterly separated from its geographical surrounding and closer to other cities of the same level. The leading parameters for the new configuration are based on mutual connections, primarily in the global economic system. The atlas shows the world cities according to the GaWC categorization of 2010.²

^* Silvio Carta, TUDelft, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Public Buildings, email: s.carta@tudelft.nl

1. Cf. “The World According to GaWC 2000” and following. The results are based upon the office networks of 100 advanced producer service firms in 315 cities. GaWC Research Bulletin 43.

2. See http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/world2010.html. Global network connectivity scores for 2010 were provided by GaWC.

Further Reading

Beaverstock, J.V., Faulconbridge, J.R. and Hoyler, M. (2011). Globalization and the City, in A. Leyshon, R. Lee, L. McDowell and P. Sunley (eds) (2011) The SAGE Handbook of Economic Geography, SAGE, London

Castells, M. (1977). The Urban Question, Arnold, London

Lévy, J. (1997). L'Europe, une géographie, Hachette, Paris

Sassen, S. (1991). The Global City, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.

Taylor, P. J. (2004). World City Network: A Global Urban Analysis. Routledge, London

Software

Adobe Illustrator