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The Urban Atlas

Lewis Dijkstra, PhDDeputy Head of the Analysis Unit

European Commission – DG Regional PolicyLewis.Dijkstra@ec.europa.eu

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Urban Atlas project

• A shared project between ESA, DG ENTR (GMES) and DG REGIO.

• Providing high resolution land cover/land use maps based on a common methodology

• Covering 305 major European agglomerations, based on Urban Audit definition of Larger Urban Zones

• Imagery reference year: 2006 (+/- 1 year)• Project duration: 2009-2011

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Main features

• Thematic classes based on CORINE Land Cover nomenclature

• But more specific for built-up areas, and less specific outside urban areas

• Geometric resolution of 1:10,000• Minimum mapping unit of 0.25 ha in urban

areas, 1 ha in other areas

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CORINE Land Cover

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Urban Atlas

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SPOT / ALOS images

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Production

• Mix of automatic classification and photo-interpretation

• Various data sources used, depending on thematic classes

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Thematic classes

• Residential areas: use of soil sealing layer to distinguish between density classes

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Thematic classes

• Non-residential urban areas• Detailed transport network layer (COTS)• Local maps as auxiliary source of

information

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Thematic classes

• Other classes• Less thematic detail for agricultural,

natural and forest areas (and MMU 1 ha)

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Validation process

• Internal validation by the contractor• Qualitative verification supported by EEA

and EIONET – ETC/LUSI– Format and metadata– Mapping specifications– Topology

• Quantitative validation on a subset of cities by independent experts

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Dissemination

• Georeferenced layers are freely available• Data download:

http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/urban-atlas

• Map viewer: http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/urban-atlas

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Derived indicators

• Can be exploited at the level of Urban Audit units:– Larger Urban Zone (LUZ), kernel, city, sub-

city districts (SCD)

• Land cover/use surface breakdown• Green urban areas per inhabitant• A sprawl analysis (ESPON LUPA project)

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Compactness of cities

• Share of selected land cover classes in total land surface of concentric circles defined around the city centroid– Residential areas (continuous /

discontinuous)– Industrial, commercial, public, etc. areas– Green urban areas

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Modelling

• Input data for modelling of urban vulnerabilities to natural hazards (JRC)

• http://moland.jrc.ec.europa.eu/evdab/HTML/home.html

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Modelling and indicator applications

• More EU-wide (planned) use cases:– Urban morphology and urban form– Land use modelling: drivers for/from urban

areas– Spatial allocation or distribution of statistical

variables– Climate change and urban areas– Distribution and availability of green urban

areas and urban green “background”

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Population distribution and green urban areas• Ongoing analysis on proximity and

accessibility of green urban areas• Combination of Urban Atlas data,

population distribution and urban street network

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Proximity of green urban areas• Creation of accessibility areas around urban

atlas polygons, based on 15 minutes of walking distance

• Determine the surface of the green areas which can be reached within the walking distance

• Calculate the accessible green surface per inhabitant, at the level of the urban atlas polygon

• Possible aggregation at city level (population weighted average accessible surface)

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Copenhagen

Height = population density

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The Hague

Height = population density

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Helsinki

Height = population density

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The future of the Urban Atlas• Repeat Urban Atlas in order to create a detailed

dynamic view on urban land cover/use• Coherence with other data collection projects is

important– Census 2011– Urban Audit

• Consequences– Define imagery acquisition requirements (2011 +/-

year)– Update methodology, including change detection– Enhance the geographical scope (possible extension

of main agglomerations)