Lesson 14-Fortress Developments and Edge Cities Flashcards
Edge cities
Self contained settlements which have emerged beyond the original city boundary and developed as cities in their own right
-largely result from urban sprawl
Why are edge cities associated with North America
- Higher car ownership, greater willingness to travelmlong distances to work, shopping and entertainment and limited planning restrictions in the suburbs
-LA is an example of a sprawling urban settlement
Impacts of edge cities?
- Extreme social segregation as wealthier people move to these edge cities
- Leaves only poor and disadvantaged sections of society in the original city boundary
Fortress development
- Refers to landscapes designed around security, protection, surveilance and exclusion
-aims to stop; crime social exclusion and terorism
What are strategies used to create fortress developments in the UK?
- CCTV
- Railways and fencing around private spaces
- Effective use of streetlighting
- Speed bumps to prevent joyriding
Aims of fortress developments?
-SEPS
- Surveillance-close observation of areas to detect crime
- Exclusion-removing ‘undesirable’ people from an area
- Protection-so people and buisnisses are safe from crime
- Security-to make an area secure where no crime can happen
Examples of surveillance
- CCTV-act as a deterrant, help investigations and also help detect crime
- Street lighting- acts as a deterrant
Examples of exclusion
- Mosquito alarms emit high pitched unpleasant noise only audible to young people>prevents loitering
- Benches broken up by bars prevent homelessnes sleeping on them
Examples of protection
- Shutters placed on front of shops
- Windows of shops made to be ‘shatter proof’, cant be smashed as easily
Examples of security
- Fences built around private places restricting access
- Concrete barriers can be placed between roads and areas where people gather>prevent terrorism
‘Designing out’ crime
- Designing architecture to reduce the chances of crime occuring within an area
-designing road routes, front gardens and more CCTV
How do fortress developments cause social exclusion?
- People who perceived as threatning or undesirable are excluded; anti-homelessnes,mosquito alarms and anti skater
- In some North American cities people are segregated from ‘others’ who are perceived as threatning or undesirable
What is the purpose of the ‘Camden Bench’?
Prevents people sleeping on it and stashing drugs
-grafiti resistant,discourages litter
Negatives of the ‘Camden Bench’?
Uncomfotable>more designjed for what its not than what is it
-not appealing
How do fortress developments deal with terrorism?
- Installation of concrete barriers between roads and crowded places
-prevent vehicles driving into large groups of people
US Embassy in London strategies
- Thick glass and conrete walls
- Massive drops to stop vehicles
- CCTV and licence plate catchers
- 150 feet away from flats for safety and space defence
Oscar Newmans Defensible Space Theory
- The theory argues that a aplace is safer when people feel a sense of owenership and responsibility for that peice of community
3 factors that make a space defensible
-Oscar Newmans Defensible Space Theory
-TNI
1) Terriotoriality-the idea that ones home is sacred
2) Natural surveillance-the link between an areas physical characteristics and the residents ability to see what is happening
3) Image- the capacity of the physicl design to impart a sense of security
CASE STUFY FORTRESS DEVELOPMENTS-The Wythenshawe estate, Manchester
- Redeveloped housing-strategies
-front gardens>fences,hedges
-more windows
-bins in gated compounds rather than open alleyways - New York Times reffered to the estate as a “Pocket of social deprivation and alienation”-2007
What did The Wythenshawe estate avoid when redevelop housing?
- Recessed doorways that people can hide in
- Projecting window sills or expanded rainwater pipes
- Dark alleyways
Link to changing places
- Insiders-belong and identify with a place
-sense of pride where they live - Outsiders-feeling out of place
-gender,sexuality,race and religion historically cast people as ‘outsiders’
