Downtowns are back

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by IluvATX

I always liked this thread. Keep ‘em coming Yuri. Do you have any info on Southeast Asia cities?

I can do it! The thing is, all those areas have been densely populated since ever, so we cannot expect a population surge. Moreover, they haven't experienced urban decline in the same degree of Northern American, European and Brazilian cities, paving the way for an urban renaissance that started in the 1990's.

In fact, many East Asian cities work as a big Downtown themselves, like:

--- Tokyo squeezing 9,733,276 people in only 627 km² (15,511 inh./km² density) and growing.

--- Kowloon plus northern half of Hong Kong Island: 3,164,590 in mere 88 km² for a super density of 35,961 inh./km², putting Manhattan and Paris to a shame;

--- Shanghai inner city: 6,683,712 in 289 km² for a density of 23,127 inh./km²;

--- Guangzhou inner city: 6,337,811 in 280 km² for a density of 22,635 inh./km²;

--- Seoul 9,586,195 people in 605 km² (15,839 inh./km² density).

[Yuri]

City Centre, Sheffield


Expedia

--------------------------------- 2021 ------ 2011 ------ 2001 ------ Growth -------- Area -------- Density

City Centre --------------------- 21,477 ----- 19,868 ------ 5,534 --------- (-) -------- 8.1% -- 259.0% ---- (-) -------- 3.6 km² -- 5,916 inh./km²

Sheffield ----------------------- 556,521 ---- 551,756 ---- 513,100 ---- 520,100 ----- 0.9% ---- 7.5% --- -1.3% ----- 368 km² ---- 1,513 inh./km²

Sheffield Urban Area ---------- 822,328 ---- 809,472 ---- 761,400 ---- 773,800 ----- 1.6% ---- 6.3% --- -1.6% ----- 654 km²

Sheffield Metro Area -------- 1,660,849 -- 1,622,722 -- 1,534,100 -- 1,557,200 ----- 2.3% ---- 5.8% --- -1.5% --- 2,054 km²

As they released more details of their census, we can see British cities, that also experienced urban decline in the 1970's are now seen their city centres booming. Things could be even worse as Covid really hit British urban areas hard.

Sheffield, the most typical rust belt city, centre of British steel industry, not only resumed its growth (immigration, take notice US) and saw its centre population to growth four fold. From 5,000 to 21,000 in mere 20 years.