Contribution to METREX Barcelona biennial Conference, Workshop 6, Barcelona, October 29th 2004 The Saxon Triangle A Polycentric Region in Transformation Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Leibniz Institute of Ecological and Regional Development Dresden, Germany Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Saxon Triangle 29.10.2004 Page 1
1 Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Scope and Structure of the Saxon Triangle Saxon Triangle 29.10.2004 Page 2
1 Scope and Structure of the Saxon Triangle Regional Population Potential in Germany Source: Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Saxon Triangle 29.10.2004 Page 3
1 Scope and Structure of the Saxon Triangle State Development Plan of Saxony-Anhalt (2004) - Spatial Structure - Metropolitan Region Saxon Triangle 3 Levels for Describing the Region: - 5 Core Cities (Leipzig + Halle + Dresden + Chemnitz + Zwickau) - 4 Agglomeration Areas (Leipzig + Halle + Dresden + Chemnitz/Zwickau) - 3 Areas of Regional Cooperation (Leipzig/Halle + Dresden + Chemnitz/Zwickau) Halle Leipzig Dresden Zwickau Chemnitz State Development Plan of Saxony (2003) - Spatial Structure - Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Saxon Triangle 29.10.2004 Page 4
1 Scope and Structure of the Saxon Triangle Population (31.12.2002) in Core Cities Agglomerations Regional Cooperation Areas Dresden 480.228 Dresden 717.549 Dresden 1.143.227 Leipzig 494.795 Leipzig 598.284 Halle 240.119 Halle 297.283 Leipzig / Halle 1.357.960 Chemnitz 252.618 Zwickau 100.892 Chemnitz / Zwickau 925.675 Chemnitz / Zwickau 852.305 1.568.652 2.538.791 3.353.492 Street Kilometres and Train Connections Dresden Leipzig Chemnitz Zwickau Halle Dresden 112 km 74 km 115 km 142 km Leipzig 1:04 h 79 km 82 km 45 km Chemnitz 1:07 h 1:44 h 35 km 115 km Zwickau 1:40 h 1:16 h 0:31 h 109 km Halle 1:44 h 0:29 h 2:23 h 2:04 h Minimum distance between 2 cities = 35 km (Chemnitz - Zwickau) Maximum distance between 2 cities = 142 km (Dresden - Halle) Fastest train connection between 2 cities = 0:29 h (Halle - Leipzig) Farthest train connection between 2 cities = 2:23 h (Halle - Chemnitz) Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Saxon Triangle 29.10.2004 Page 5
2 Regional Capacity of the Saxon Triangle Technological Capacity Microelectronics Cluster in Dresden - Silicon Saxony around Dresden - N 1 chip production location in Europe (under Top 5 in the world) - 760 enterprises (Infineon, AMD, AMTC, ZMD) - 20.000 jobs in the microelectronic industry - Research facilities (incl. 3 Universities and a new nanoelectronic research center) AMD Infineon Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Saxon Triangle 29.10.2004 Page 6
2 Regional Capacity of the Saxon Triangle Technological Capacity Automotive Engineering in Saxony - Centennial tradition in Saxony - Recent Car Production in Zwickau (Volkswagen), Leipzig (BMW, Porsche) and Dresden (Phaeton) - 450 enterprises in supplying industry in Saxon Triangle - 60.000 jobs in this branch - Research facilities Locations of automotive engineering in Saxony Production Sites & Suppliers Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Saxon Triangle 29.10.2004 Page 7
2 Regional Capacity of the Saxon Triangle Cultural Capacity Semper Opera Dresden Important Cultural Events in Germany 2003/04 according to SPIEGEL Magazine (Source: KoRiS 2004) Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Saxon Triangle 29.10.2004 Page 8
3 The Saxon Triangle as a Metropolitan Region ESPON Study 1.1.1. (2003) Functional Urban Areas Typology 64 MEGAs in Europe, thereof 8 in Germany Saxon Triangle: Potential to form a polycentric region outside the Pentagon Berlin Wroclaw Saxon Triangle Prague Existing studies assess the five cities separately, not the region Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Saxon Triangle 29.10.2004 Page 9
3 The Saxon Triangle as a Metropolitan Region The Federal Position Metropolitan Regions in Germany In Germany 1997 seven regions were accounted as European Metropolitan Regions by the German Standing Conference of Ministers Responsible for Spatial Planning (MKRO): - Rhine-Ruhr (including Cologne, Essen, Dortmund), - Rhine-Main (including Frankfurt), - Berlin, - Hamburg, - the Saxon Triangle - Stuttgart, and - Munich Due to their geographical location the Saxon Triangle and Berlin are particularly suitable to perform hub, facilitator, and transfer functions in the EU enlargement process. Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Saxon Triangle 29.10.2004 Page 10
3 The Saxon Triangle as a Metropolitan Region State Development Plan of Saxony 2003 (LEP) Saxon Triangle is to be developed to a dynamic European metropolitan region in a long term process Therefore the major cities should cooperate in partnership in the fields of Transportation Economy Tourism Education Science Sports Culture Marketing LEP 2003 Accessibility is to be improved by further integration into the TEN Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Saxon Triangle 29.10.2004 Page 11
3 The Saxon Triangle as a Metropolitan Region Chronology of Activities Phase 1: Informal Cooperation 1994 Saxon LEP 94: Saxon Triangle to become a European city network 1995 MKRO: Saxon Triangle as potential metropolitan region in Germany 1997 MKRO: Saxon Triangle as a European metropolitan region in Germany 1997 Study Transportation in the Saxon Triangle 2001 Foundation of the Network of German Metropolitan Regions (Saxon Triangle is one of 8 members) Phase 2: Boosted Cooperation among the Cities 2002 Constitution of a standing working group; Members: Saxon State Ministry of Interior and the city planners of the 5 cities; since then regular meetings (initially 4 times per annum, now monthly) 2003 Saxon LEP 03: Saxon Triangle to become a European metropolitan region 2004 Top-level meeting with the State Minister and the Lord Mayors Elaboration of a joint strategy concept for the Saxon Triangle Participation in PolyMETREXplus Further sectoral activities Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Saxon Triangle 29.10.2004 Page 12
4 Perspectives of the Saxon Triangle Main Fields of Future Action - Regional Governance / Cooperation Structures - Transportation and Mobility - Regional Marketing / Corporate Identity - Joint Business Development - Education, Research and Technology - Tourism, Culture and Sports - External Cooperation / Positioning in Europe Dr. Thorsten Wiechmann Saxon Triangle 29.10.2004 Page 13