Urban Environments Flashcards
How do urban settlements differ to rural ones
- the economies
- their size
- density of people and buildings
- way of life
Why do high rates of urbanization occur
- new economic developments are concentrated in big cities
- push-pull factor
- high rates of natural increases
What happens at the emerging stage of urbanization
The rates of economic development and urbanization speed up
What is urbanization
The movement of people from a rural area to an urban area
What is agglomeration
The concentration of people and economic activities at favorable locations
- river crossing points
- estuary mouths
- close to a mineral source
What is suburbanization
When town expand outwards adding to built-up areas
What encourages suburbanization
- improvements in transport
- overcrowding
- decline in the quality of residential environment
- arrival of more people
What does the urban processes timeline look like
Agglomeration - suburbanization - commuting - urban regeneration - counter urbanization - urban re-imaging - urbanization of suburbs
What is urban regeneration
Re-using areas in old parts of cities abandoned as people and businesses have moved to the suburbs
What does urban regeneration allow to happen
- urban re-imaging
- urban re-branding
What is a megacity
Cities with a population of over 10 million
Examples of megacities
Factors encouraging mega city growth
- economies of scale
- multiplier effect
- population growth
- economic development
What are global/world cities
Cities with a population over 1 million
Problems due to rapid urbanization
- lack of housing
- access to water and electricity
- traffic congestion and transport
- health
- education
- employment
- social problems
- environmental issues
Factors effecting land use patterns
- land values
- locational needs
- accessibility
- residential pattern
Why do simular land uses come together
- lame locational needs
- can afford same general level of land value
Different layers of a city
Core
Inner-city ring - early suburbs
Suburban ring - present suburbs
Urban fringe
What is in the core
The oldest part of the city
- contains the CBD and some of the earliest buildings
What is the urban fringe
Countryside that is being ‘eroded’ ny the outward spread of built-up areas
- provides housing
Generalizations about the structures of cities moving outwards
- age of the built-up areas decreases
- style of architecture and urban design changes
- overall density of development decreases
What are the residential pattens of cities
Simular social classes, occupations, wealth and ethnicities tend to live near each other
Economic challenges due to urbanization in developed cities
- deindustrialisation
- globalization
- food supply
- transport and traffic
- energy supply
- service provision
Social challenges due to urbanization in developed cities
- social services and housing
- poverty and deprivation
- ethnic segregation
- quality of life
- aging population
- terrorism and crime
Environmental challenges due to urbanization in developed cities
- ecological footprint
- pollution and waste disposal
- resources: land, energy, water
- green space
- hazard risk
- sustainability
What are shanty towns prone to
- flooding
- landslides
- heavily polluted locations
- fire
- crime
- disease
Due to overcrowding
What is the informal economy
Offers poorer people a means of survival
Challenges due to urbanization in emerging or developing areas
- squatter settlements
- informal economy
- urban pollution
- low quality of life
Reasons shanty towns experience urban pollution
- lack of piped water
- lack of proper sanitation
- lack of waste disposal
- burning of fuel wood
- congestion traffic
- manufacturers releasing waste
- garbage in streets
- grafiti
- ugly buildings
What does the quality of life index look at
- safety
- healthcare
- cost of living
- pollution
What is a greenfield site
An area that hasn’t been built on before
Push factors for urban fringes
- housing is old, crowded and expensive
- environmental pollution
- shortage of land
Pull factors of an urban fringe
- land is cheaper
- more spacious
- close to main roads
- new developments
Main buildings in the rural urban fringe
- retail parks
- industrial estates
- business parks
- science parks
Benefits of retail parks
- free parking
- easy to get to
- modern
- all in one place
- contain other facilities (cinema, restaurants)
What is a brownfield site
Area that has already been built on
Advantages of brownfield sites
- reduces loss of countryside
- helps revive old urban areas
- services are already in place
- located near main areas of employment
Disadvantages of brownfield sites
- more expensive to build on
- surrounded by rundown areas
- higher levels of pollution
- bad access
Advantages of greenfield sites
- cheap
- simple layout
- healthier environment
- close to the countryside
Disadvantages of greenfield sites
- uses valuable land
- causes noise and light pollution
- habitat is lost
- encourages suburbanization
Ways to make urban living sustainable
- use renewable resources
- more energy efficient
- public transport
- improve physical infrastructure (clean water, sanitation)
- improve social services
- improve quality of life
What is quality of life
The well being of individuals or groups of people
Cities and what they have done to i prove sustainability
Masdar City, Abu Dhabi - energy
Curitiba, Brazil - transport and greening
Urban green partnership, Sri Lanka - poverty and greening
Slum-management strategies
- bulldoze and clear away (Zimbabwe)
- clear away and relocate (Brazil)
- redevelop (Brazil)
- improve by self help or site and services schemes (Philippines)
- ignore (India, Bangladesh)
Local stakeholders
- slum residents
- residents living near by
- utility suppliers
- representatives in parliament/city council
- city councils
- landowners and property developers
- employers
- planners
National stakeholders
- government
- national charities
International stakeholders
- international charities
- inter-governmental organizations
