Spatial Relationships and The Territorial Attractiveness of Central Places in Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Abstract

The concept and dynamics of centralities in urban areas are discussed in the literature, usually related to the spatial patterns of the jobs. In this paper, the spatial concentration of job opportunities in Belo Horizonte is analyzed, including its relationship with the territorial attractiveness. Therefore, two indicators were proposed to synthesize the concepts of attractiveness and opportunities’ concentration. In addition, global and local regression (GWR) models were evaluated regarding the respective parameters, considering the opportunities’ concentration as an explanatory variable. The results of the model do not indicate a direct association between the variables. However, the results suggest a strong and welldefined spatial pattern in the Central Business District of the municipality. In this context, the method proposed in this paper is an important tool for urban planning and the management of mobility and accessibility, regarding the structure of land use in cities.