Author(s): Eric Luiten

ABSTRACT
(landscape, urbanization, trends, metropolis of Lille, French-Belgian metropolis, Randstad, Ruhrgebiet, Barcelona, Twente)

At the request of the Cross-Border Workshop, Eric Luiten investigates the current trends and expectations with regard to landscape in (West European) metropolitan regions: impact of urbanization, recreational pressure, modernization of agriculture, traffic, nature conservation, etc. He also deals with the significance of the landscape as inert space, as a differentiating factor and as a component of urban quality. Finally, the landscape development strategies of four urban regions are examined : Randstad, Ruhrgebiet, Barcelona and Stedenband Twente.