Geoinformation analysis of agglomeration of the Caucasian Mineral Waters: architectural and functional planning aspects

Abstract

The article presents the results of research on the formation and development of the functional and planning structure of the urban agglomeration of the Caucasian Mineral Waters, as an integral part of the settlement system of the Stavropol territory and the North Caucasus Federal district. Theoretically, the authors rely on the concept of a single settlement system and a reference frame as a combination of nodal and linear elements that Express the main features of the territorial organization of the region. The paper uses various sources of quantitative and qualitative information on the Stavropol territory as a whole, the region of Caucasian Mineral Waters and individual municipalities: results of sociological surveys of the population, census data, information about the current socio-economic and demographic situation of the territory, materials of state and departmental statistics, documents of territorial planning and urban planning, own observations and results of “field” studies of the territory. Based on these data, a General characteristic of the CMS agglomeration is given, the spatial organization of settlement is analyzed, and current trends in its development are determined. One of the results of the study is a geographic information model of the agglomeration, which sets its boundaries and composition, calculates the coefficient of development, and makes a demographic forecast for the agglomeration as a whole and for individual municipalities. The model of spatial organization of the territory was based on the planning framework of the region, including social, economic, environmental, and transport frameworks. The territory of the agglomeration, despite its high level of formation, differs in significant contrasts, which makes it possible to distinguish different zones within it by the level of urban development and the role in the agglomeration. Using the methods of geoinformation mapping, maps of the agglomeration boundaries and transport accessibility of its cores were created, as well as a perspective structural and planning model of the CMS region. The authors come to the conclusion that the design decisions for the development of territories within the CMS agglomeration, given in the documents of territorial planning and urban planning of municipalities, should be based on the main function of the region — ecological and resort, which gives it the status of a region of Federal significance. Therefore, the measures set out in the territorial planning documents of each municipality must be interconnected (both in terms of hierarchical subordination and in the General context of agglomeration development of the territory) for the sustainable development of municipalities and the entire agglomeration, the preservation of the environment and cultural heritage.