Urban Flashcards
What are the physical characteristics of the CBD?
Tall, high-density buildings and a lack of open space.
Where main roads and railways meet.
Main railway stations and bus stations.
Multi-story car parks.
Comparison shops where people can browse in the same type of shop, eg jewellers.
Specialist shops, eg bridal boutiques.
Large department stores and shopping centres.
Tourist information centres.
Cultural centres, historical buildings and museums.
A concentration of churches and cathedrals.
Hotels for tourists and business meetings.
Offices, finance, banks, administration, town halls.
Entertainment facilities such as cinemas and theatres.
High traffic and pedestrian flows at rush-hour and Saturdays for shopping.
What are the physical characteristics of the inner city?
Very large buildings (factories). Rows of tenements Housing next to factories Grid iron street pattern Often located beside railways and canals. High density, lack of open space
What are the physical characteristics of the old industrial zone?
Factories, warehouses, shipyards, ironworks, steel works, coal mines or spoil heaps.
Derelict land - many factories closed down.
Old industrial buildings abandoned.
Large areas of redevelopment or urban regeneration.
Areas demolished and used for motorways and ring roads.
What are the physical characteristics of the old housing zone?
Older, 19th century low-cost housing. This is most likely tenements in Scotland and terraced housing in England and Wales.
Grid iron street pattern as housing was unplanned.
High density of buildings because accommodation was needed for many workers.
Poor-quality housing with a lack of gardens as land was precious.
A lack of good quality open space eg parks.
No garages as there were no cars when the houses were built.
High levels of air pollution from traffic.
In some areas there may be visual pollution in the form of vandalism and graffiti.
What are the physical characteristics of the new housing zones?
Newer 20th and 21st century housing. This is most likely detached and semi-detached houses as land is cheaper further than the CBD.
Cul-de-sacs and crescent-shaped street patterns because housing and streets were planned so they are safer for children.
Low density of buildings because more space allows houses to be built outwards.
High-quality housing with gardens due to more land availability.
Garages for cars.
Space to extend or build a conservatory.
Low levels of air pollution because it is further away from the CBD traffic and separated from industry.
Local corner shops for everyday essentials eg bread and milk.
Local schools nearby for children.
Quieter and attractive environment due to proximity to the countryside.
What are the physical characteristics of the new industrial zone?
Factories are grouped together in planned industrial estates.
Low density (one or two storey) buildings.
Modern buildings built of bricks and glass.
Wide roads for lorries to import raw materials and export finished goods.
Separated from housing as workers commute by car.#
Landscaped with trees and shrubs to provide a pleasant working environment.
Large car parks for workers and delivery lorries.
What are the physical characteristics of the new business district?
Very large and modern low-density buildings eg shopping centres, cinemas and supermarkets.
Shops and services grouped together in retail parks.
Separated from housing and industry.
Thousands of free parking spaces.
Beside motorway or main roads for free.
Built on edge of a town with room to expand.
Wide roads for many cars and delivery trucks.
What is the rural urban fringe?
The rural urban fringe marks the boundary between the built-up area and the countryside. The area is also known as the greenbelt.
Why is the rural urban fringe important?
This rural urban fringe is important to prevent the city merging with other large settlements.
What are the physical characteristics of the rural urban fringe?
Open space on edge of the city.
Farmland.
Scattered buildings - usually farm steadings.
Roads and railways connecting other settlements to a large city.
What are recent developments in shopping in the CBD of Glasgow?
Undercover shopping centres such as Buchanan Galleries and St Enoch Centre were built to attract people into the city centre to increase revenue.
Shop closures eg Borders bookshop on Buchanan Street shut down due to increased competition from internet shopping, out-of-town shopping centres, retail parks and 24-hour supermarkets.
Pedestrianised shopping streets such as Argyle Street provide a safer and less polluted shopping environment. On the other hand, cars are restricted to other areas and congest neighbouring streets.
Charity shops aree now part of the ‘high street’ as they attempt to raise money for various causes eg Oxfam, The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research.
Discount stores eg Poundland, cater for people who are less affluent.
What are the recent developments in transport in the CBD of Glasgow?
Park and ride schemes have a positive impact as there are fewer cars in the city centre which means less congestion and pollution. However public transport is becoming more expensive which discourages people from using it.
Ring roads that avoid the city centre eg the M8 in Glasgow, allow through traffic to avoid CBD congestion. However, roads are still congested at peak times due to the sheer volume of rush over traffic.
Improved public transport eg bus lanes help to keep buses running on time. This means that fewer people take their cars into the city centre, so there is less congestion . However, travellers are inconvenienced if services are cancelled.
One-way streets such as Bath Street in Glasgow allow traffic to flow freely and move faster. On the other hand, it is difficult for drivers to get around the city centre if they are not familiar with the restrictions.
Multi-storey car parks, parking charges, double yellow lines and traffic wardens help to reduce on-street parking. This means that fewer cars are illegally park on streets and block them. However, it is expensive for drivers to use certain city centre car parks.
What are the issues in slum housing in Roçinha in Rio de Janerio?
Poor quality housing and overcrowding - in favelas, people build their own houses on land which does not belong to them. The land that is used is not suitable for properly built houses as it is too steep or marshy. Dwelling are made from basic materials such as wood, corrugated sheets, broken bricks and tarpaulin. Population density is very high (37k people per square kilometre). Sewage runs in open drains due to poor sanitation so diseases like cholera spread rapidly among high numbers of people.
Poor health care - people live in poverty and cannot afford health carer or medicines. This means that illness goes untreated and diseases spread quickly. Consequently, infant morality rates are high and life expectancy is low at an average of 56 years in a favela in Rio de Janeiro.
Unemployment - unemployment rates are high as there are not enough jobs to go around. Most people who do have a job in the informal sector for ‘cash in hand’.
Crime - Rio de Janeiro is notorious for drug trafficking, notably cocaine. Tourists visiting famous beaches such as the Copacabana are encouraged not to take expensive valuables as crime is rife. The crime rate in favelas is also extremely high as they are controlled by gangs who are involved in gun crime, drugs and murder. Roçinha is so feared by police they do not patrol on foot without guns.
Pollution - Rio de Janeiro is part of Brazil’s industrial triangle so air pollution from factories is a major problem. Fumes from traffic sit over Guanabara Bay and smog is common. Waste and rubbish from housing and industry create much land pollution. Seas and beaches are also polluted across the coastline. In favelas, rubbish is left to pile up and sewage runs in open drains. As a result, drinking water supplies are easily polluted. Visual pollution is caused by the slum housing themselves and can discourage tourists. Noise pollution is common due to a high volume of industry, cars and people.
Landslides - Rio de Janeiro is surrounded by mountains, so, during tropical storms, landslides are common. Make-shift houses in favelas offer little protection to people. Houses and belongings are easily washed away by heavy rain and mud.
What are the recent developments which deal with issues in slum housing?
Self help schemes - self help schemes are small-scaled projects which let local people use their own skills to improve their housing. Favelas have a strong community spirit and people enjoy an enriched street life. As a result, the residents have managed to gradually transform the favela of Roçinha into a small city. Most homes have basic facilities like electricity and others even have satellite television. There are now services including cafes, entertainment facilities and shops run by local people.
Charities - charities and aid workers help to improve the quality of life for people in slum housing. They provide money for self help schemes and teach skills to local people. The Developing Minds Foundation is a voluntary organisation that builds schools and supports education programmes in the favelas in Rio de Janeiro.
What improvements have taken place in shanty towns like Roçinha as a whole?
Housing as a whole has improved and contains services such as running water and electricity. (1)
Sanitation has improved to help stop the spread of disease like cholera and dysentery. (2)
Residents homes have improved with the help of self-help schemes which provide residents with sustainable materials like bricks. (2)
Some prefabricated homes have been built in Roçinha by the Brazilian Government with basic amenities like toilets and running water. (2)
Residents have been given legal ownership of land where their houses are built. (1)
Roads have been improved in the favela allowing for services such as rubbish collection to be available. (2)
In some favelas, cable cars have became a method of transportation. (1)
There has been hospitals and schools built for residents.
Security has been improved in the shanty towns by police patrolling streets which reduce drug trafficking. (2)
