Edge City

Edge City is a term used to describe an area of rapid growth situated distinctly outside the ‘downtown’ of a city. The area is usually a place which was a small settlement around 30 years prior and then with the addition of nearby freeways and airports becomes a focus for new development.

Key aspects of an Edge Town are:

• 5 million square feet or more of office space
• 600,000 square feet of retail space
• More jobs than bedrooms – a large number of commuters
• A perception as a distinct and singular place
• A distinct difference between its current state and its appearance 30 years prior.

The Edge City emerged in America, as a new type of urban development. Similar examples in Europe tend to be more closely related to the city edge in a collaborative existence rather than the American Edge City which compete with the original city.