Contemporary Urban Environments Flashcards
Definition : megacity
A city or urban area with a population of more than 10 million people
Definition : metacity
A con urbanisation with more than 20 million people
Definition : urban growth
The general increase in the number of people living in urban areas compared to rural areas
Definition : urbanisation
Increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas in a specific area such as country or region
Definition : urban sprawl
The spread of an urban area into the surrounding countryside
What is the global pattern of urbanisation
LICs and NEEs have a quick rate of urban growth
HICs is slower because they have already developed and become industrialised
Causes of urban growth
- natural increase
- rural to urban migration
Consequences of urban growth
- housing and urban sprawl
- waste
- transport
- employment
Definition : suburbanisation
development of rural areas due to the migration of people from inner city areas
Characteristics of suburbanisation
- large houses (wealthy commuters live there)
- local shops / businesses, no large companies
- low building density, more land for garden space and car parking
- area for expansion
- favoured location for new offices, factories, shopping outlets
Causes of suburbanisation
- growth of public transport
- railway lines enabled wealthier commuters to live in the suburbs as they can travel to work
- people move for the desire for quieter, less congested and polluted environment
- perceived as relatively crime free areas
Effects of suburbanisation
Environmental
- green belt under pressure
- worsening of air quality
Social
- social segregation
Economic
- diversion of funding to suburbs away from inner city
Definition : counter urbanisation
migration of people from major urban areas to smaller urban cities
Characteristics of counter urbanisation
- growth in rural areas beyond the main city
- land and house prices are cheaper
Causes of counter urbanisation
- push factor : people want to escape air pollution, dirt and crime of the city
- pull factor : land and house prices are cheaper
- pull factor : improvements in technology allow people to work from home
- rising demand for second homes and earlier retirements
Effects of counter urbanisation
Environmental
- loss of Greenland
- congestion and pollution
Social
- tension between newcomers and locals
- bus services and other services have shut down
Economic
- out migration of young village born adults
- in migration increases house prices
Demographic
- decline of elderly village born people
- increase of younger people
Definition : urban resurgence
movement of young mobile people back into the city
Characteristics of urban resurgence
- strong financial, business and consumer service industries
- more university students and immigrant workers
Causes of urban resurgence
- attracted by the 24 hour lifestyle (gym, work, nightlife)
- major sporting events, London 2012 olympics
Effects of urban resurgence
Environmental
- trees planted, green area protected
Social
- able to live their 24 hour lifestyle
- loss of original residents
Economic
- inequalities
Definition : deindustrialisation
decline of the manufacturing industry
Causes of deindustrialisation
- mechanism : cheaper and more efficient than employees
- competition from abroad
- reduced demand for traditional products
Impacts of deindustrialisation
Social
- unemployment / loss of jobs
- deprivation, crime
Environmental
- long term pollution
+ positive such as reduced traffic congestion
Economic
- closure of other businesses
- decline in property prices
Definition : decentralisation
businesses moving to areas beyond the inner city
Causes of decentralisation
- improved transport : people can travel for work or the services
- rising costs in the city
- poor economic performance in the city
Impacts of decentralisation
Social
- people have to travel further for jobs
- employees made redundant
Environmental
- less congestion
Economic
- high costs to relocate
- can create disparities between the urban rural areas
Definition : rise of service economy
decline of manufacturing, increase of the tertiary and quaternary sectors
Causes of the rise of service economy
- financial services are needed to support the manufacturing industry
- as society and technology develop they need a larger range of specialised services to keep them running
- as society becomes more wealthier they demand more leisure and retail services
Impacts of the rise of service economy
Social
- loss of manufacturing jobs
- improved services, healthcare and education
Environmental
- less waste and pollution from the factories
Economic
- more costs to run the services
Definition : urban form
the physical characteristics of a built up area including the shape, size, density
Definition : urban morphology
the spatial structure and organisation of an urban area
Physical factors affecting urban form
- water (rivers or lakes)
- type of land
- topography / relief of land
Human factors affecting urban form
- planning rules
- housing density
- infrastructure
- land values
Urban form in HICs
- land value decreases the further you move from CBD (results in larger houses and lower density)
- large density in CBD and tall buildings due to high land value
- wages increase further from CBD
- inner city has smaller housing and larger ethnic minority
Urban form in LICs
- services, shops and offices in CBD
- inner city surrounded by medium cost houses
- decrease in land value further from CBD
- “suburbs” full of squatter settlements with limited services, electricity, water, high rates of crime
Characteristics of a megacity
- many transport links
- employment opportunities
- great services
- congestion
- innovation
- traffic
Definition : world city
cities which have a great influence on a global scale because of their financial status and worldwide power
Characteristics of world cities
- high quality education and other services
- majority employed in tertiary sector
- decision making power
- major financial headquarters
- denomination of trade
- major manufacturing centres
Definition : cultural diversity
the existence of a variety of cultural or ethnic groups within society
Definition : economic inequality
the difference between levels of living standards, income etc across the whole economic distribution
Definition : social segregation
when groups of people live apart from the larger population due to factors such as wealth, ethnicity, religion or age
Why are urban areas more culturally diverse than their surrounding areas
- greater range of employment opportunities
- first point of entry for migrants (airport or port)
- established ethnic communities / migrant communities, shops or places of worship within the area
- population is more respectful / tolerance of new people
Definition : Town centre mixed developments
blends residential, commercial, institutional and industrial uses which are interconnected
Advantages : Town centre mixed developments
+ sustainable : reduces the need to travel
+ reduce traffic and congestion pollution
+ more affordable housing : usually smaller houses as they have less space to build
+ encourages economic growth
Disadvantages : Town centre mixed developments
- increase in noise pollution
- difficult for building proposals to be accepted
- large investments needed for bigger development which may take time
Definition : gentrification
form of inner city regeneration, money is invested in older homes and buildings
Advantages : gentrification
- property value increases
- local services may improve
- pubs, bars and coffee shops may open (hospitality)
Disadvantages : gentrification
- effects not always felt by everyone
- people can feel priced out of the local housing market
Definition : fortress landscapes
gated residential developments, shopping centres patrolled by private security guards, new technology to monitor public spaces
Advantages : Fortress landscapes
+ provides protection and security for people which could encourage new people to move to the city, furthermore they could be wealthy which will result in more spending in the local economy
Disadvantages : Fortress landscapes
- creates strong economic / social segregation between groups
Definition : edge city
a relatively large urban area situated on the outskirts of a city, typically beside a major road
Causes of edge cities
- population decentralisation from large major core cities
- they develop at or near existing or planned freeway intersections
Advantages : edge cities
+ avoid inner city problems, less congestion and pollution
+ travel improvements allow easy commute to the city
Disadvantages: edge cities
- class segregation
- increased rates of crime
Characteristics of post modern cities
- fragmented urban form, made up of individual settlements
- emphasis on producing services and knowledge based economy (manufacturing / mass production) tourism drives the economy
- electric / varied architecture
- greater ethnic diversity but heightened economical and social inequalities
Definition : heritage quarters
Planned areas focused on the history or character of a city
Advantages : heritage quarters
- attract tourists
- help to develop a unique sense of place
Disadvantages : heritage quarters
- rise in house prices
- pushes local residents out of the place
