From Clustered to Networked: Multi-Dimensional and Multi-Scale Performance Evaluation of Polycentric Urban Structure Evolution in Shenzhen, China

Polycentric urban structures are increasingly advocated to enhance economic efficiency, promote spatial equity, and support environmental sustainability. However, their roles in shaping urban performance remain insufficiently understood, particularly regarding the contributions of clustered and networked patterns to performance across different dimensions and scales. This study adopts a longitudinal framework that distinguishes the evolutionary stages of polycentric urban structures and evaluates multi-dimensional, multi-scale performance, taking Shenzhen, China as a case study. The results show that Shenzhen’s polycentric structure evolved nonlinearly in its clustered pattern and linearly in its networked characteristics, with steady improvements in spatial and economic performance contrasting with the inverted U-shaped trajectory in social performance. Clustered and networked polycentric structures contribute differently: improvements in spatial performance are driven by multiple indicators, major economic indicators (at constant prices) increase with strengthened networked characteristics, and social performance benefits from clustered patterns only when public service provision is coordinated. This research provides new evidence for the co-evolution of polycentric structures and urban performance, suggesting that the effectiveness of polycentric development lies not in choosing between clustered and networked forms, but in strategically integrating them—optimizing scale–distance coordination among centers to enhance the clustered pattern, while differentiating center functions to strengthen networked characteristics.