Between Looms and Beds: Unveiling Transportation Challenges with a Radius-Led Mixed-Methods Approach in Informal Space Based on a Study Conducted in Guangzhou, China

We investigate the conflicts between formal and informal urban spaces and how formal urban policies’ neglect of informal needs exacerbates traffic chaos and segregation in East Asia, aiming to decipher the operational logic of informal transportation systems and their dynamic interactions with formal urbanization processes. Focusing on Zhongda Textile City, we delve into the specific manifestation of these conflicts, which appear in four key aspects: (1) mismatch between urban planning and informal needs, (2) physical disconnection between formal and informal areas, (3) infrastructure projects occupying informal spaces, and (4) policy-making neglecting existing experiences. Using a mixed-method framework, we highlight the marginalization of informal spaces through their evolving relationship with formal systems and provide insights into urbanization strategies that account for these symbiotic yet contested dynamics.