Urban Flashcards
Structure of a city
CBD, Inner City, Modern Suburbs, New Industrial Zone, New Business District, Rural-urban fringe, Greenbelt
Characteristics of CBD
Offices, high rise buildings, lots of tourist attractions, train station, shops
Characteristics of Inner City
Tenements, gentrification, high ethnic population, old factories, corner shops, straight roads
Characteristics of Suburbs
Cul-de-sacs, semi detached homes, larger houses, green areas, schools
Characteristics of Rural-urban Fringe
Flat land, low density buildings, motorway/bypass, golf courses
Changes in Edinburgh’s CBD
Trams were added to limit traffic congestion and CO2 emissions, St James centre was added to encourage people to shop in the CBD, bas lanes along the street to encourage use of public transport , cycle lanes.
Changes in Edinburgh’s Inner City
Tram extension into Leith and Newhaven to increase ease of transport into CBD, new housing developments on disused land, the Shore area of Leith has gentrified, Ocean Terminal became Oporto and shifts focus to outlet stores and redevelops cinema to link in with tourists to the Royal Yacht Britannia.
Changes in Edinburgh’s Rural-urban Fringe
New housing in Cammo and Newcraighall, decentralisation of offices to places like the Gyle, out of town retail parks like Fort Kinnaird, Transport changes such as Ingliston Park and Ride and the Trams
What are the conditions like in favelas?
Overcrowded, buildings made of scrap materials, densely populated, gangs, high unemployment, little sanitation, small homes, informally built, high infant mortality, poor transportation and communication
What are self-help schemes?
These are small scale projects which allow local people to use their skills to help improve their local area. The Government has provided materials such as bricks, cement and glass to enable residents to improve their own homes. This often fosters a community spirit as many families work together to make the improvements.
How have help-self schemes helped improved faveles?
In Rocinha, self-help schemes have improved the area from sub-standard housing to low quality housing where the majority of homes have basic services like electricity. There are now also many services in Rocinha including cafes and shops. Some people have been granted legal ownership of the land on which their houses are built.
What are site and service schemes?
These are projects undertaken by the local authority to relocate residents from favelas. Brick houses are built with electricity, running water and sanitation pipes installed.
People may be allowed to buy these houses. An example of such a scheme is ‘The Favela Bairro Project’. Services in these areas also include refuse collection, schools and health centres.
Give an example of a low-cost improvement to favelas
Existing housing is improved by re-building with cheap, quick and easy to use breezeblocks. A tank of water on the roof collects rainwater. Electricity and sewerage may by added. Most people who live in these will have some sort of employment so that they can pay low rents.
