Space-time Dynamics in Transitional Urban China

China’s transition to a market economy has reshaped its urban social space, leading to increased fragmentation, suburbanization, and diversified mobility. These shifts have fundamentally altered residents’ lifestyles, yet city planning still focuses on broad population groups and does not pay enough attention to dynamic social and spatial inequities. This dissertation addresses this gap by analysing Beijing’s urban transformation through the lens of individual space-time behaviour, aiming to integrate temporal perspectives into Chinese urban research and planning. By analysing activity-travel diaries and POI data from 2007 and 2017, the study examines how institutional, spatial, and social factors shape residents’ daily time use, activity patterns, and accessibility. Key findings reveal a significant increase in commuting time between 2007 and 2017, which has reduced leisure and increased household tasks, with gendered and generational disparities. Socio-spatial segregation intensified among urban residents, though the influence of traditional danwei and hukou systems declined. Family structure also plays an important part in space-time constraints, with extended families offering some relief for parents, particularly through grandparent support. While place-based accessibility measures suggest uniform facility access, individual-based analysis exposes significant disparities linked to income, gender, and institutional status. The research concludes that China’s urban transformation imposes growing space-time pressures, particularly on disadvantaged groups such as low-income residents and working women, limiting their access to urban opportunities. It calls for a new direction in city governance that focuses on "time equity," stressing the need to adjust institutional schedules and planning practices to meet individual needs and build truly inclusive cities.