Contemplating agglomeration as a new phenomenon in urbanistics became the subject of the research. The nature of space agglomeration as functional concept is outlined and interpretation of respective basic concepts and terms is systematized. Agglomeration is interpreted in Polish literature as a transitional phase to forming of metropolitan areas. They are of different content: agglomeration is interpreted as a morphological unit formed by dense group of interrelated settlements that have emerged due to concentration processes, while metropolitan area and metropolitan space — as functional unit created by large functional urban complex, where the available metropolitan functions and functions links are the main peculiar feature.Features of agglomeration space and criteria of agglomerations delimitation are defined. Metropolitan area is interpreted as central city that creates metropolitan space along with its surroundings. Each metropolitan space is an agglomeration, although not each agglomeration corresponds to the conditions necessary to be considered as a metropolitan space. Forming of metropolitan functions, broad urbanistic transformations, processes of functional-spatial integration, globalization and internationalization of economy and joint system of development planning and management are the conditions of agglomeration transition into the metropolitan space. The specifics of agglomeration formations, their hierarchic division and classification are conducted by the development level and organization of economy and society (settlement systems); rank; spatial boundaries of implementation of agglomeration functions; level of development of agglomeration functions (foreign investment, number of global companies, employed in ІТ industry), as well as by the importance of the central city of the agglomeration in global system of links. Administrative-legal instruments of forming and management of agglomeration space, ways to include agglomerations into administrative-territorial structure of a country and model of their organizational-legal management are suggested. Urban planning aspects of forming and guided development of agglomerations are defined. The key directions of agglomeration processes are outlined and the issues regarding the development of foundations for forming of urban agglomerations in Ukraine are considered. The following research issues remain to be relevant:- arrangement of agglomeration determinants and agglomeration functions;- identification and classification of problems regarding agglomerations and improvement of a set of methodological tools for their research;- substantiation of criteria of agglomerations forming reasonability and their creation efficiency assessment;- improvement of urbanistic, legal, economic and managerial mechanisms of agglomerations’ spatial organization and socio-economic development.

У статті, використовуючи досвід Польщі, впорядковано категорійно-понятійний апарат, мету, завдання, вимоги й критерії формування міських агломераційних утворень. Встановлено функції міст і критерії їх віднесення до агломераційного центру; визначено ознаки агломераційного простору й критерії делімітації агломерацій. Виокремлена специфіка агломераційних утворень, подано їх ієрархічну класифікацію та сформульовано завдання розвитку. Обґрунтовуючи моделі розвитку агломераційних просторів, окреслено адміністративно-правові інструменти формування та управління агломераціями, розкрито містобудівні аспекти формування й керованого розвитку агломерацій. Обґрунтовані напрями й завдання наукових досліджень проблем агломераційних просторів, які сприятимуть подальшому агломеруванню простору України.