Exploring Collaborative Urban Strategies : IOS Press : 9789040725708 : 9040725705 : 01 Dec 2004 : The opening of the economy to external markets has brought about the re assessment of the significance of large spatial agglo-merations and the accentuation of polarization at national scale. The dual movement of centralization and de-concentration proces-ses, inwards and outwards, contributes to urban sprawl beyond the limits of metropolitan areas, as has been demonstrated in Shang-hai, Jakarta, Delta Metropolis, Mexico City, Sao Paolo and Santia-go. lts consequences for urban structure and urban morphology are immense and complex, and it has fostered social fragmentati-on of space, changing location opportunities, land uses and centra-lities. The importance of transport and communication is accentua-ted, large intra and inter urban connectivity are generated together with the generation of articulated networks, corridors, nodes with impact in land values. New lifestyles, new urban enviro