Effects of distance and scale dependence in geographical models of cities and territories
Résumé
This third chapter questions the essential role of distance and scale dependence in models to analyzing the spatial configuration of human settlements and activities, as well as the processes that lead to their evolution, with reference to urban or regional study areas. The subject of study therefore concerns both the form of human settlements and the actions of people (individuals, groups) in their territory (or territories). A human settlement consists of the materialization in space-the physical inscription-of one or more human activities. It is characterized by a certain degree of sustainability. It can be a group of a few buildings or a larger group of thousands of buildings, parks, car parks, orchards, fields, etc. Each element is connected to others, whether close or far away, with the same or different function, by means of transport and communication networks. All this-buildings, unbuilt environment, networks-is the container of human activities. Different models are available to study the spatial configurations, or shapes, of this container. The content associated with this container are individuals and groups performing activities and having spatial practices and social relationships. The spatial configurations of this content are studied in terms of locations, flows and paths.