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Compared to "monocentric" development, "polycentric" spatial patterns better distributethe density of urban cores and curb the sprawl of impervious, heat-absorbing surfaces, according to the analysis of 50 city regions in Germany.

Particularly in larger urban areas, polycentric development can moderatethe urban heat island effect, when built-up areas can be several degrees hotter than surrounding rural areas -- a potentially dangerous phenomenon during heat waves that are expected to grow more common due to climate change.

Schmidt and Li said the findings have implications for regional-level planning that are already institutionalized in German and European systems that promote polycentric development as a goal.

“You have to imagine a polycentric system, where each center plays its role in the setting of an orchestra.”

“Most other countries … want to create a polycentric or a multipolar world, with no single center of control, in which no one imposes its visions, interests and values on others,” he said on Saturday.