Contemporary Urban Environments CASE STUDIES Flashcards
What is an example of a mega city and its role in global and regional economies?
Tokyo, Japan.
Highly integrated regionally, HQ’s for TNC’s and commercial & financial power
World Cities
London, England or New York, USA.
Most integrated cities regionally. Greatest influence globally in terms of finance and commerce (London is global financial centre). HQ’s for many TNC’s.
What are 3 Urban Policies and Regeneration in Britain since 1979
- Property-led Initiatives & Entreprenuerial Culture (1979-1991)
- Partnership Schemes & Competition-led Policy (1991-7)
- Area-Based Initiatives (1997-2000s)
What is an example of Property-led initiatives & Entreprenuerial Culture in 1979-1991 Britain?
London Docklands Development Corporation.
+ Attracted £12 billion in new investment.
+ Created 190,000 jobs nationally.
+ Improved urban derelict environment.
- Locals did not benefit from housing and jobs.
Did not tackle social issues, as locals not involved in decision-making and were driven out by higher prices.
What is an example of Partnership Schemes & Competition-led Policy in 1991-7 Britain?
Hulme City Challenge Partnership, Manchester.
+ Improved 40,000 homes.
+ Created 53,000 jobs.
+ Reclaimed 2000 ha of derelict land.
+ Equal importance to buildings, people and values as local councils able to bid.
- Resources usually too small for area so thinly spread.
Areas that received government funding from previous schemes lost funding if urban decline insufficient.
- Money lost by local authorites who prepared bids but did not win.
What is an example of an Area-Based Initiative in 1997-2000s Britain?
New Deal for Communities had 10-year programmed to improve 39 most deprived neighbourhoods e.g. Devonport Regeneration Company, Plymouth.
+ Improvements seen in 32 of 36 UDI.
+ Gaps between local and national authorities narrowed.
- Positive change for place rather than people as education and worklessness faced little change compared to other factors.
What is the Case Study for Social Segregation and Cultural diversity in contrasting urban areas?
- Manchester, UK
- Detroit, USA
Spatial Patterns and Issues.
How was social segregation and cultural diversity illustrated within Manchester, UK?
+ 1980-90s some schools were half Jewish and half Asian, children mixed well, no racial or religious conflicts even in pubs or nightclubs.
- In 2001 May, Oldham town experienced riots which injured 86 police officers, clashes between White and Asian youths lead to widespread damage to properties and businesses.
- Government reports concluded the racist far right stirred up tension meanwhile a leading politician argued Asians had chosen to live apart from the community.
What counter-arguements have been given to Manchester’s 2001 riots?
- Academixs argued that towns like Oldham and Burnley were more ethnically mixed than suggested and were not self-segregated.
- A 2009 poll found the Muslim community more likely to identify with Britain than other populations and were in favour of mixed ethnic communities.
What was a key issue that lead to social segregation and riots in Manchester, UK?
Deprivation in towns like Oldham and Burnley (some of the poorest wards in UK) caused tensions over poor-quality housing and youth unemployment. Recent terrorist events also increased hate crime in UK. Lack of spatial evidence.
How is social segregation and cultural diversity illustrated in Detroit, USA?
Spatially: Racist policies to seperate Black and White American neighbourhoods took shape in a nearly 1km wall built in 1941 along Eight Mile Road. The wall still remains.
- In 1940-50s black families were charged higher rents or banned from living in certain neighbourhoods. Even at work white and black workers were segregated. Authorities undertook urban renewal initiatives causing some black families to move to previosuly white neighbourhoods, causing tensions resulting in riots in 1967.
- Presently, Detroit remains the most racially unequal metropolis in USA. Due to deindustrialisation in 1980-90s where many car companies went out of business. White workers moved out of the city for a better quality of life and employment but black families were prevented from moving. They were forced to stay in declining inner city, with a shrinking job base and increase in poverty & crime.
What were key issues which lead to social segregation and riots in Detroit, USA?
- Spatially segregating neighbourhoods of different races.
- Suburbanisation of White Americans and preventing Black Americans from doing the same.
- Deindustrialisation of Detroit lead to inner-city decline.
What is an example of a cultural and heritage quarter?
Sheffield’s Cultural & Heritage Quarter with a ‘Waterfall of Steel’ statue.
What is an example of a fortress development?
Fortress LA
Gated communities with LAPD surviellance towers created due to paranoia & fear of gangs, minorites and homelessness.
What is an example of a gentrified area?
Liverpool City, 2013 sold 20 derelict homes for £1 with ~1000 applicants per home. To avoid abuse of scheme, buyers had to prove they could renovate homes to suitable standard and live in property for 5+ years.
What is an example of an edge city?
DUMBO, New York
In Brooklyn’s Tech Triangle and centre for digital + creative industries in NYC. Renovated warehouses into luxury residences with public waterfront parks, .useum and rooftop park with view of Manhattan skyline.
What is an example and festures of post-modern western cities?
Concept based on LA, results in changes in late 1900s in Western society & culture illustrated through mixing of art and architecture. Greater ethnic diversity, varied architecture (London) and flagship developments e.g. Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
What is the main Case Study for tackling urban pollution?
Beijing, China
What was the issue of air pollution in Beijing, China?
Instances of smog reaching up to 1000ppm happened often.Global Times newspaper criticised government for not releasing environmental data e.g. estimates of 886ppm too low. This occurred due to their topography, traffic congestion and regular wood & coal burning from residents and economic activity.
How did Beijing, China tackle their urban air pollution?
Spent $76 billion on improving air quality through monitoring, implementinh strict emission controls on coal power plants, expanding public transport and phasing out older, more polluting vehicles.
PPM fell by 60% in 10yrs but still remain 6 times above WHO guidelines. “Good air days” went from 13 (2013) to 300+ in 2023.
What is the UK’s strategy for tackling urban air pollution?
London Clean Air Act 1945
1956 = implemented smoke-free zones in UK urban areas.
1990s = Strict regulations on PM10 levels entering atmosphere. Local councils required to monitor levels and establish Air Quality Management with some councils urban greening to reduce PM10s.
What is the example of a river restoration and conservation project?
Cheonggyecheon River Restoration Project 2003
What were the reasons for the Cheonggyecheon River Restoration?
- Cultural shift in population to prioritise quality of life, sustainablity of ecosystems and social responsibility.
- Over 100,000 small businesses had disintegrating buildings, polluted areas with no green space.
- 2nd World War and Korean War prevented maintenance work. 1960s squatter settlements established.
What were the aims of the Cheonggyecheon River Restoration?
- Improve connectivity of north-south divide.
- Fix congestion and overcrowdedness along 5.8km stream. (One of most densely populated cities MEGACITY)
-Repair elevated freeway and concrete deck which posed safety risk.
What were the attitudes and contributions of different stakeholders in the Cheonggyecheon River Restoration?
- Project was part of Lee Myung Bak’s (former South Korean president) successful bid to bevlcome Seoul’s mayor in 2001.
- Local businesses saw project as threat or interruption to livelihoods so to counteract local authorities made parking free or reduced price, grants for businesses to promote or special arrangements made for those who had to relocate.
What activities took place under the Cheonggyecheon River Restoration?
- 22 bridges built = 12 pedestrian/10 car & pedestrian.
- Hananag River pumped to area for consistent flow and treated water to prevent pollution.
SPLIT INTO 3 ZONES:
1. Central historic zone incorporates earlier bridges as decoration with plenty seating and landscaped banks.
2. Middle zone made of eco-friendly materials consists of recreation areas, fountains, waterfalls, waterfront decks etc.
3. Next to Hanang River is a wetlands conservation area, overgrown & widened stream and overpass/piers left behind as industrial memento.
What were advanatges of the Cheonggyecheon River Restoration?
+ Became tourist attraction with 18.1 million visitors in 2008. Museum gives permanent and temporary exhibitions.
+ Number of businesses rose here compared to decreasing trends in other districts.
+ Removal of cars lowered temps by 2.5°C.
+ Urban wildlife haven reestablished wildlife and habitats and ecology is embedded in schools.
What were disadvantages of the Cheonggyecheon River Restoration?
- Property prices rose at double the rates elsewhere in the city.
-Area fell behind rest of Seoul in economic viability.
Non-inclusive design led to 2005 Sept. protests for elderly, visually-impaired or wheelchair users. 7 lifts were installed for wheelchair users but uneven surfaces, dimly lit and congested corridors remain.
What are the case studies to compare waste disposal methods in?
Lincoln Incinerator
Bristol Waste Management
Describe waste disposal in the Lincoln Incinerator.
Cost £125 million in 2013.
But site processes 462 tonnes of MSW everyday powering 15,000 homes per year.
A 24hrs facility with educational visitor centre.
Describe waste disposal in Bristol.
In 2015 was given the European Green Capital Status - 1st city in UK!
Reduced amount of waste per household by 15% and amount of MSW to landfill with waste management contractors. Increased recycling by 50% with education in schools and kerbside collection.
