Urban forms Flashcards
What is urban form?
Urban form is the physical characteristics that make up a city, including its size, shape population density and how the city is arranged.
How is urban form affected by physical factors? (4 FACTORS)
Topography:
> Physical features often influence the growth of cities e.g. steep slopes are harder to build on and less accessible, so poorer housing may be built on them.
Water;
> The presence of lakes and seas limits urban growth in those areas, while cities may grow along the course of the river. City centre shops and businesses are usually located close to the waterfront, rather than at the geographical centre of the city.
Natural resources:
> Rich resources (coal, metal) encourage growth in the size and population of cities.
Land type:
> Some ground surfaces are more difficult or expensive to build on than others e.g. swamps and wetlands can limit urban growth.
How is urban form affected by human factors (3 FACTORS)
Planning:
> Urban expansion can be planned or unplanned. For example, a lot of urban growth in developing countries is caused by the unplanned expansion of slums.
Infrastructure:
> New developments are often built along transport links, leading to linear growth.
Land Value:
> The highest value land is often found in the city centre, so profitable businesses (chain stores) normally locate there, while less profitable businesses (independent shops) may be found further from the centre.
What is town centre mixed developments?
> These are areas where land use is mixed- luxury flats, offices, shops and entertainment facilities are all located there.
> Developments are planned by local councils, often with private investments. The aim is to attract people back to city centres by giving them opportunities to live, work and relax there.
What are cultural and heritage quarters?
> These areas focus on the history or character of a city.
> Such areas are often home to theatres, art galleries and historical buildings.
> They are often developed by local councils to regenerate former industrial areas. They attract visitors, encouraging economic development and creating jobs.
What are fortress developments?
These are developments with lots of security, such as CCTV, guards and high walls. They are often located in suburban areas of large cities, and only those with permission can enter them.
They are designed to give s safe environment for families, but they are very divisive- only rich people can afford to live in or use them.
What are gentrified areas?
> Gentrification is when wealthier people move into rundown inner city areas and regenerate them by improving housing.
> Gentrified areas often have a large range of services, e.g. shops and restaurants, and contain high-quality housing. However poorer residents may be displaced as the cost of living increases, leading to social and ethnic segregation.
What are edge cities?
> Edge cities are new areas of offices, shops and leisure facilities that develop close to major transport links, e.g. motorway intersections outside city centres, where land is cheaper. They often contain some housing, but most people travel to them for work or to use the services available.
> The majority of edge cities have developed since the 1950s and 1960s as car ownership has increased. They are most common in the USA, e.g Las Colinas near Dallas, Texas.
What are the characteristics of a post-western city?
1) Multiple centres with different purposes rather than a single centre.
2) A focus on tertiary and quaternary industries instead of secondary industries.
3) Less uniform architecture- buildings have a wide range of styles.
4) Planning priorities the aesthetics of the city over practical use.
5) High social and economic inequality.
