How do urban amenities shape knowledge-intensive industry locations within cities? A multi-scalar study of Wuhan, China

Urban amenities are key factors in knowledge-intensive industrial agglomeration, yet their impact on cities remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by proposing a multi-scalar framework that distinguishes metropolitan-scale effects, shapes urban structure, and establishes regional competitive advantages from local-scale amenities, whose availability and diversity drive placemaking. Using Wuhan's automotive industry as a case study, detailed firm-level data, comprehensive amenity information, and spatial econometric techniques were employed. Findings reveal that while automotive firms cluster near high-amenity urban sectors, local urban areas exhibit specialized industrial clusters. The regression results confirm that localized attractiveness is driven by both the availability and diversity of amenities, as well as the division of urban spatial structure. However, high availability is particularly valued for essential infrastructure and public services rather than consumer amenities. Crucially, the effects of these factors vary due to the division of urban sectors: central districts mainly leverage amenities that may form a local innovation system for specialized clustering, whereas outer areas depend more on foundational public services and functional accessibility. These differentiated, amenity-driven localization patterns underscore the necessity for context-specific urban planning strategies that meet the distinct needs of different urban sectors, thereby optimizing intra-urban industrial agglomeration and economic performance.