In the era of suburbanization, urban development is carried out in functional urban areas. Regardless of the intentions of planners, an increased role of flow in the modern economy determines the growing importance of the spatial processes of metropolization, which concern both the relationships between large cities and the relations within the cities’ functional areas. Consequently, the analyses, recommendations and instruments to support urban development should address the spatial scale of functional areas (metropolitan), and not merely the core cities. In view of the observed processes of civilization, the contemporary challenges for urban policy are associated with increasing density and compactness of urban development and with the reduction of relative distances within metropolitan areas. In view of the observed processes of civilization, the contemporary challenges for urban policy are associated with increasing density and compactness of urban development and with the reduction of relative distances within metropolitan areas. The competitive position of cities depends, to an increasing extent, on the social potential (human and social capital) and economic development of the entire functional urban area. This is the most important and most difficult challenge for both planners and the governing bodies of the cities of the future.

In the era of suburbanization, urban development is carried out in functional urban areas. Regardless of the intentions of planners, an increased role of flow in the modern economy determines the growing importance of the spatial processes of metropolization, which concern both the relationships between large cities and the relations within the cities’ functional areas. Consequently, the analyses, recommendations and instruments to support urban development should address the spatial scale of functional areas (metropolitan), and not merely the core cities. In view of the observed processes of civilization, the contemporary challenges for urban policy are associated with increasing density and compactness of urban development and with the reduction of relative distances within metropolitan areas. In view of the observed processes of civilization, the contemporary challenges for urban policy are associated with increasing density and compactness of urban development and with the reduction of relative distances within metropolitan areas. The competitive position of cities depends, to an increasing extent, on the social potential (human and social capital) and economic development of the entire functional urban area. This is the most important and most difficult challenge for both planners and the governing bodies of the cities of the future.