Changing Spaces, Making Places

Question 1

Define space

Answer 1

a continuous area or expanse which is free, available or unoccupied
‘container’ in which objects are located and human behaviour is played out

Question 2

Define place

Answer 2

a particular position, point, or areas in space: a location. ‘A space with meaning’. They have emotional and subjective ‘meaning’ for people

Question 3

How does emotional attachment influence place perception?

Answer 3

If we have positive memories of a place we are more likely to feel attached. can also be social - how do we view them in a group. often feelings towards countries are strong or a place of happiness e.g. a football ground for a fan.

Question 4

How does age affect place perception?

Answer 4

Park - children see this as a place of fun. Elderly place of socialising and getting out. Young people socialize and relax. Parents see it as boring?
Housing- students shared rent close to city centre, young couples cheaper, small houses or flat close to city. Families larger suburban housing further from city for space. Retirees smaller, more convenient housing close to city for services.

Question 5

How does gender affect place perception?

Answer 5

Some gender specific areas such as maternity wards, toilets, sexual health clinics etc.
Perception may change with stereotypes.

Question 6

How does sexuality affect place perception?

Answer 6

LGBT zones e.g. pink triangle in Newcastle. Feel safer with other people and in a supportive environment where they can feel free to express themselves.

Question 7

How does religion affect place perception?

Answer 7

Jerusalem - significant for Jews, Christians and Muslims. Muslims - Haram al-Sharif is a noble sanctuary, Dome of the Rock, Al-Aqsa mosque (3rd holiest in Islam).
Jews- Temple Mount. Wailing Wall - holiest site.
Christians - Church of the Holy Sepulchre sit of resurrection of Jesus.

Question 8

How does role affect place perception?

Answer 8

Role will cause different perceptions. E.g. teacher will view staff room differently to students.

Question 9

Define globalisation

Answer 9

the process of increasing interconnectivity between countries and includes widening and deepening global connections, interdependence and flows as a result of massively increased trade and cultural exchanges.

Question 10

define time-space compression

Answer 10

‘the contraction of the relative distances between places (measured in travel time or cost), effectively making such places grow closer’

Question 11

How does globalisation and time-space compression influence place perception?

Answer 11

*Technology means we know more about places and hopefully perceive them more positively though certain media may have negative impacts.
*Cable, satellite etc, means we are directly and instantly connected to other places.
*Shorter journeys and better transport means we visit more places
*Majority of things we consume come from other places.
*Increased global connections politically and scientifically. More united.
*More trade.

Question 12

What are the two formal representations of place and why are these important?

Answer 12

1. Census data - Data collected from an official count or survey, especially of a population.
2. Geospatial data - Any data that is indicated by or related to a geographic location. (Data is often put on maps.
   Data is collected this way for political and governmental purposes. It is important to understand the demographic/socio-economic characteristics of a place when planning healthcare, education, public transport, infrastructure etc.

Question 13

What are the positives of formal representation?

Answer 13

These portrayals are realistics as they are actual specific data that is accurate. They are gathered from a census which people are legally required to complete. It might be argued data could be doctored once in official hands but on the face the data represents reality in a stark way.

Question 14

What are the negatives of formal representation?

Answer 14

Do not really represent places as people know them because we don’t think of specific data when thinking about a place. We tend to interact more emotionally with a place. Other aspects of places give them their identity for people (e.g. buildings, culture, smell).

Question 15

Define social inequality

Answer 15

‘the existence of unequal opportunities and rewards for different social positions or statuses within a group or society.’

Question 16

Define quality of life

Answer 16

the extent to which people’s needs and desires are met.

Question 17

define standard of living

Answer 17

ability to access services and goods, including basics such as food and water, clothes, housing and personal mobility.

Question 18

How does social equality vary?

Answer 18

Varies across areas, social class, age, gender etc. concentration of groups can positively or negatively affect social inequality.

Question 19

How does social inequality vary with income?

Answer 19

*income - World Bank’s definition of absolute poverty is $1.25/day PPP. a person cannot afford minimum amounts of food and clothing. purchasing power is also important as the cost of obtaining a particular good or service can vary across countries.
*relative poverty relates the level of poverty to the distribution of income across the whole population. for the UK and EU it is 60% of median household income. 13 million in UK fall below this. ability to purchase goods and services in fundamental to social well-being. low incomes linked to ill-health, lower education etc. lack of qualifications and low skills are obstacles to getting jobs. cost of living is not a good measure but disposable income (amount left over after essentials) is better.

Question 20

What is the Gini coefficiant

Answer 20

*Gini coefficient measures levels of income inequality within countries. defined as a ratio with values between 0 and 1. 1 means all income in a country was in the hands of one person whereas 0 would mean everyone has equal income.

Question 21

How does social inequality vary with housing?

Answer 21

*Housing - housing tenure. owner-occupiers own their own houses (usually through mortgage). some rent from private landlords or from a council. charities and housing associations provide subsidised accommodation for rent. LIDCs more complex in slum areas where there are landlords and tenants. ‘squatter settlement’ only means an area where people have no legal right to the land they occupy. smaller income = less choice over housing. poor quality housing/overcrowding can lead to ill-health. demand might exceed supply and slum housing is common, rapid urbanisation creates low quality housing or not enough. homelessness is an increasing problem. UK availability of social housing decreased and prices increased faster than wages. young families may not live in rural areas as wealthy families have moved here raising house prices.

Question 22

How does social inequality vary with age?

Answer 22

*Age - may find it harder to access services with limited mobility. more likely to need healthcare and transport. more vulnerable to price fluctuations while on pensions.

Question 23

How does social inequality vary with gender?

Answer 23

*Gender - women might experience pay gap.

Question 24

How does social inequality vary with employment?

Answer 24

*Employment - unemployment is a measure however not all countries measure it and defining it can be difficult. someone with low wages can still be employed. ACs higher wages in cities than rural areas. Informal sector jobs are common in LIDCs.

Question 25

How does social inequality vary with access to services?

Answer 25

*Access to services - number of doctors per 1000 (e.g. norway 1 in 4, kenya below 1). people living in core regions (near capital city) have better access with investment and wealth. often clear urban-rural divide. internet/mobile users can show this (UK broadband faster in cities). satellite connections can reduce inequality as infrastructure is no longer needed to connect people however authorities might restrict access. influenced by 3 factors:
*number of services
*how easy it is to get to the service e.g. quantity and quality of transport links, distance
*social and economic factors e.g. age, gender, income

Question 26

How does social inequality vary with healthcare?

Answer 26

poverty and ill-health are strongly related. measure of number of doctors per 1000 people can describe health inequality. ‘postcode lottery’ in UK shows unequal access to healthcare. access to clean water, sanitations, diet, housing and air quality all influence this. social behaviour and lifestyle e.g attitude to vaccination, smoking, alcohol. HIV/AIDS affects south Africa most as relations between men and women are ignored. might also be dependent on where you live e.g. less healthcare in rural areas.

Question 27

How does social inequality vary with education?

Answer 27

*Education - formal education = schools, unis etc. informal = something at home or learning from someone else. underestimated if only looked at by qualifications. literacy levels (ability to read and write) show contrasts. universal primary education is a Millenium Development goal.

Question 28

How does inequality vary spatially within and between places?

Answer 28

E.g. Bangladeshi population concentrated in central London areas. High levels of unemployment (more than 10%) and in some areas over 12% of housing is unfit to live in. community in area that are in the 1% most deprived areas in the country meaning high social inequality.
People can be ‘mutually supportive’. Concentrations of a particular ethnic group leads to provision of services and cultural support e.g. Asian community in Wingrove. Family areas with children may lead to development of safe play environment and associated services e.g. playgroups. People become disconnected by distance, socio-economic status, age etc. leading to social exclusion. Areas of deprivation and poor housing have shortages of shops, housing, education etc. e.g. ‘food deserts’ in US, supermarkets have not invested in sparsely populated areas and shops close by have shut down. 90 mins bus. More likely to buy long life, less nutritious food = health issues such as obesity and diabetes. 13 year difference in life expectancy between rich and poor areas of Memphis. ‘Red lining’- limited small business lending in poor areas.

Question 29

Define structural economic change

Answer 29

increasing flows of ideas, capital, goods, services and people. connections in the global economy. caused increased international opportunities, firms have specialised in areas where they have a comparative advantage - specialist industries. TNCs and nation states are key players and relationships between and within them can cause drastic changes.

Question 30

What are the 3 ways structural economic change can change patterns of opportunity and inequality for people and places?

Answer 30

1. global shift - relocation of manufacturing production on a global scale. 50 years ago W Europe/US and raw materials exported Africa and S america. 1980s New International Division of Labour (NIDL) meant TNCs created labour-intensive factories in Newly Industrialising Countries (NICs). containerisation and bulk handling brought down relative costs and caused locational changes.
2. economic reconstruction = loss of employment in primary/secondary sectors. ACs - tertiary and quaternary economies.
3. deindustrialisation occurred in ACs. some industry driven areas were badly affected. skills not transferable so employment low. environmental problems. 70s and 80s TNC investment in EU and UK had a positive multiplier effect as training and employment increased.

Question 31

How has cyclical economic change influenced social opportunity and inequality?

Answer 31

Claimed capitalist economic systems have interconnected cycles. linked with technological innovation with new industries providing the boom. once the tech is no longer new, there are fewer growth opportunities and a recession occurs. centres of innovation benefit more as core regions have a strong multiplier effect. recessions are slow downs in economic activity. macroeconomic indicators (such as GDP), investment spending, income, profits and inflation fall while bankruptcy and unemployment rise. people spend less so there are less jobs needed. more skilled people are generally less affected.

Question 32

How has the government reduced social inequality in places?

Answer 32

Education, healthcare, infrastructure and community services.
taxation - income tax can redistribute wealth with a progressive tax system.
subsidies - given to poorer groups (e.g. free school meals, free transport, benefits etc).
planning - prioritised upgrading housing and services in poorest areas. organised geographically and most deprived areas done first.
law - outlaws discrimination on racial, ethnic, gender, age criteria and give equal oppotunity. minimum wage legislation.
education - governments provide funding for training and upgrading skills. programmes aimed at poorest such as smoking etc.
pensions - doubled in last 12 years showing ageing and increased life expectancy, pension age is rising. some are entitled to benefits and others have occupational pensions as well.
healthcare - UK NHS is ‘free at the point of delivery’ and is paid for through tax system, provision can vary. language, cultural and gender are obstacles. key settlement policy creates services in rural villages however people often use work to access services elsewhere with their personal mobility.

Question 33

Define regeneration

Answer 33

long term upgrading of existing places for urban, rural, industrial and commercial areas.
The redevelopment of decaying or run-down parts of older urban areas to bring them new life and economic vitality.

Question 34

What 3 main factors does regeneration attempt to do?

Answer 34

1. Reverse decline
2. Improve the economic, social, physical, environmental and cultural life of an area
3. Encourage participation and prosperity, fulfilling the ambitions and aspirations of local people (should be bottom up process)

Question 35

Define placemaking

Answer 35

Placemaking is the process of creating quality places that people want to live, work, play and learn in.

Question 36

What does placemaking aim to do and what are its main points?

Answer 36

requires engaging and empowering people to participate in the process.
inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community
a collaborative process by which we can shape our public realm in order to maximize shared value
designing cities for people (not just cars and shopping centres)

Question 37

Planning in the UK - what does it involve?

Answer 37

Plans set out what can be built and where.
Two main levels:
National Planning Policy Framework 2012
Local Plans including Neighbourhood Planning

Question 38

Which players are involved in placemaking?

Answer 38

Residents - superkilen, people asked to contribute to create a more diverse area where people from different backgrounds feel welcome. “Extreme participation”.
Architects - Peter Barber and Richard Rogers idea of creating a space where people can meet and socialise while planning the Pompidou. Jan Gehl founded the idea that places should be built for people. The promenade allows for a range of activities. Large and adaptable plaza.
Designers - ensure that places are practical and built for function before form. For example Lloyd building is built as a practical office space. SUPERFLEX asked people to nominate objects. Bjarke Ingels.
Urban planners - Jaime Lerner and Glasgow
Academics - PPS show the benefits of placemaking for people. Jan Gehl, Fred Kent.
Councils - Curitiba, Glasgow, Newcastle/Gateshead (lifetime neighbourhoods).
Government - encourage involvement of community in their National Planning Policy Framework.
Reverse decline - Gorbals, Detroit (urban farming).
Environment - Gorbals, Detroit urban farming, Quayside (more vegetation, less road.
Social sustainability - Superkilen, Northumberland Street has removed cars making the place safer and easier to access.
Attract investment - Helix, Quayside
Improve health

Question 39

Define rebranding

Answer 39

Rebranding is a marketing strategy in which a new name, term, symbol, design, concept or combination thereof is created for an established brand with the intention of developing a new, differentiated identity in the minds of consumers, investors, competitors, and other stakeholders.