Marina Van Geenhuizen (p), Dr. Heleen Vreugdenhil

Dr. Alexander Petkov (p), Dr. Carlos Almeida Marques

European cities face increasingly complex territorial challenges, including socio-spatial inequalities, fragmented public spaces, environmental stress and uneven regional development. Despite the growing availability of urban data, planning practice often remains constrained by fragmented, non-interoperable datasets that limit comparative and evidence-based analysis. This paper develops a methodological framework for constructing a georeferenced Common Digital Model (CDM) designed to integrate heterogeneous spatial data at neighbourhood scale and enable territorially differentiated urban diagnostics.

Building upon traditions of planning support systems and spatial decision-support infrastructures, the proposed framework systematises data harmonisation, layered geospatial modelling and comparative analytics within a coherent structure aligned with regional science applications. The CDM integrates morphological, mobility, environmental, socio-demographic and participatory layers into a unified analytical architecture. Key indicators—including network centrality, land-use mix, green space per capita and distance to public space—operationalise the model and allow multi-dimensional assessment of spatial performance.

The framework is illustrated through an exploratory comparison of contrasting neighbourhood typologies using openly available geospatial data sources, such as OpenStreetMap street networks, land-use data, green space layers and population grids. While limited in scope, this demonstration highlights how minimal data integration can reveal structurally differentiated territorial profiles. Urban core areas are expected to exhibit higher network integration and functional diversity but lower environmental provision per capita, whereas suburban territories may display greater green availability yet weaker configurational accessibility and lower land-use diversity.

The paper argues that the central challenge in smart urban management is not data scarcity but structural integration. By embedding normative objectives—such as sustainability and inclusion—into measurable spatial indicators, the proposed framework supports more transparent, comparative and territorially grounded planning strategies. The approach provides a replicable methodological basis for analysing urban–suburban differentiation and regional asymmetries within contemporary European metropolitan contexts.

Dr. Tamás Egedy (p), Dr. Kornélia Kissfazekas

Under state socialist planning, large housing estates were built as inclusive, community-centred environments. These spaces were particularly safe for women and children, reinforced by intense social control and close neighbourhood ties. Our study examines the transformation and use of public spaces in post-socialist housing estates, with a particular focus on vulnerable social groups. The research sample area was the central housing estate of Budapest-Pesterzsébet (20th district). The research is based on a complex methodology; in addition to secondary methods, we conducted quantitative and qualitative primary research (resident questionnaire survey, walking interviews - in-depth field interviews, mental map studies, and mapping of pedestrian movement patterns). According to our findings, community areas that were previously actively used have now mostly become underused, neglected spaces that pose a risk to safety. These changes particularly affect young and middle-aged women and young people, limiting their movement and participation in urban life. Research on pedestrian space utilisation has shown that residents' spatial movement basically follows traditional routes, avoiding originally protected and traffic-free routes. This proves that socially oriented planning and the physical infrastructure created as a result do not guarantee the creation of inclusive, safe spaces that can be occupied by communities. A static public space that maintains its former characteristics can lose its social base. For the population to return to community areas, it is necessary to conduct a detailed assessment of the needs of different age groups and genders, and to take them into account in urban planning and development.
Keywords: state socialist urban planning principles, post-socialist large housing estates, pedestrian use of public spaces, spatial inclusion, safety