Past and present connections developing and shaping places.

Question 1

How do past connections between places shape their current characters?

Answer 1

Often through being traditional trade partners, allowing them to grow their global influence. For example, for centuries, New York and London have been connected through trade by sea trade routes, as well as other major cities. These connections have allowed both cities to become wealthy, major cities and attract many people, allowing the cities to be very multicultural. And subsequently became global cities, made up of huge diverse populations.

Question 2

How are new connections made between places, which can affect their character?

Answer 2

Mostly due to globalisation and the increased ease of travel and communication. People, businesses and organisations from all over the world can become more connected and diverse, for example, London and New York have made connections in banking and finance industries due to ease of communication and travel which have strengthened their characters as world cities, also helped to trade with others as they are more powerful due to their mutual connection.

Question 3

How have past developments of places created their present day characters? Industrial growth and deindustrialisation.

Answer 3

• Many settlements in the UK initially developed due to their location. For example, Sheffield was originally located at the confluence of two rivers, near to coal and iron reserves, this made Sheffield a town that rapidly grew due to the industrial revolution, for example, the town is characterised by their past in steel and cutlery production, hence why one of their football teams is nicknamed ‘the blades’.
• During the industrial revolution, many large industrial cities developed due to global trade. Due to demand for production, more jobs were available, causing mass urban to rural migration, such as Sheffield becoming a major city like it is today because of it’s past steel production.
• In the later part of the 20th century, global competition, automation and outsourcing of manufacture saw the deindustrialisation of many major UK cities and lost global trade making them less connected; suffering socioeconomic decline, eventually causing less population - happened in 1970s and 80s in Sheffield with steel mines.

Question 4

How is character of place shaped by connections and developments throughout a places history, combined with present day connections and developments? Think Sheffield and Gunwharf Quays.

Answer 4

Sheffield is an area characterised by its industrial past and redevelopment. - It is still characterised as a past industrial city where steel works such as Sheffield Foragemasters still supplying steel internationally, the history of the city has also been protected by creating the ‘Cultural Industries Quarter’ to preserve historically significant roads and buildings. Whilst new art in the city such as the Cutting Edge sculpture show the industrial past - same with the shipping past of Gunwharf Quays - tower looking like a boat, old cannons and info on the area as a past port for army boats, coinciding with many modern shops in shopping centre.

• New connections have added to the character of Sheffield, known for being a student city with two reputable universies and over 50,000 students.
• Sheffield known for high tech industries E.g. the AMRC carries out research into high tech manufacturing techniques. In 2017, Mclaren announced that they would build a plant near to the AMRC to build carbon fibre chassis for it’s new vehicles.
• Sheffield are rebranding the city as the Outdoor city to encourage tourism and boost events regarding exercise.