Urban Forms

Question 1

Megacity

Answer 1

Urban agglomeration with a population of 10 million or more

Question 2

Periphery

Answer 2

Outlying regions of a country

Question 3

Periphery Characteristics

Answer 3

Least economic value
Provide resources for core
Less affluent
People leave due to push factors
Wales, Scotland, Cornwall

Question 4

Core

Answer 4

Central area of a country, usually with the seat of government

Question 5

Core Characteristics

Answer 5

Most economic growth = most jobs
Most affluent live there
Best infrastructure
London + South East

Question 6

Megacity Characteristics

Answer 6

2-3 times more GDP than other cities
Less environmentally damaging- public transport
Fuel political pressure- protests
Centres of innovation- solutions to global problems trialed
Better education and healthcare
Empower women
More efficient to provide utilities and services in densely populated areas

Question 7

World City

Answer 7

A city not necessarily the largest in terms of population, but is disproportionately important to the economy

Question 8

How are World Cities ranked?

What are the 4 main aspects?

Answer 8

Globalisation and World Cities Research Network, part of the ‘knowledge economy’
Accountancy
Law
Advertising
Banking / Finance
More economically interconnected cities ranked as alpha ++, progressively moves down

Question 9

Characteristics of World Cities

Answer 9

Production Hub
Political Hub
Migration Hub
Cultural Hub
Business, Transport, Trade

Question 10

Production Hub

Answer 10

Manufacturing centres i.e. East End
Media and communications centres
TNC headquarters

Question 11

Political Hub

Answer 11

Power at a global level
Dictate trading links between countries
Majors promote city globally
Influence and participate in global events
i.e. 2012 Olympics 
i.e. G8 Summits

Question 12

Cultural Hub

Answer 12

Museums
National theatres
High quality educational institutions
Multi-functional infrastructure

Question 13

Migration Hub

Answer 13

Jobs = migration
Attracts a large number of talented and globally mobile people
i.e. London’s population speaks over 300 languages

Question 14

Business, Transport, Trade

Answer 14

Financial headquarters i.e. Canary Wharf
Dominate trade
TNC headquarters
Large levels of international passenger traffic i.e. Heathrow Airport

Question 15

Urban Form

Answer 15

Relates to physical characteristics going towards the makeup of an area

Question 16

Physical factors impacting the make up of an area

Answer 16

Topography- gap towns
Water
Natural Resources
Land Type

Question 17

Human factors impacting the make up of an area

Answer 17

Planning
Infrastructure
Land Value

Question 18

Town Centre Mixed Developments

Answer 18

Mixed land use
Planned by local councils
Funded partly by private investment
Aims to attract people back to city centre

Question 19

Town Centre Mixed Developments: Example

Answer 19

Cube, Birmingham
24 storey mixed use development
BBC, Highways England, Hotel Indigo
135 flats

Question 20

Cultural and Heritage Quarters

Answer 20

Focuses on history and character of an area
Local councils redevelop former industrial areas
Attracts visitors = economic development
Jewellery Quarter

Question 21

Fortress Developments

Answer 21

Security: CCTV, high walls, security guards
Often in suburban areas
Safe place for families- only rich can afford

Question 22

Gentrified Areas

Answer 22

Wealthy regenerate run down inner city areas by improving housing
Creates a range of high quality housing
Large access to services
Poorer residents maybe displaced due to increased living costs- social and ethnic segregation

Question 23

Edge Cities

Answer 23

New areas of offices, shops, leisure facilities
Built near major transport links- cheap land
Some housing too
Most travel to them for work or to use available services
Become more popular with increased car ownership
Common in USA

Question 24

How does topography affect an urban form?

Answer 24

Steep hillsides = slums

Flat areas encourage low density housing as lots of space

Question 25

How does water affect an urban form?

Answer 25

Cities grow along rivers i.e. London

Seas and lakes inhibit urban growth

Question 26

How do natural resources affect an urban form?

Answer 26

Areas rich in resources encourage population gorwth

Question 27

How does land type affect an urban form?

Answer 27

Some land types difficult and expensive to build on

Swamps and wetlands inhibit urban growth

Question 28

How does planning affect an urban form?

Answer 28

Unplanned leads to expanding slums and poor infrastructure

Planned often includes open spaces and leisure facilities

Question 29

How does infrastructure affect an urban form?

Answer 29

New developments often built along transport links- linear growth
Utilities can be extended to connect to new developments

Question 30

How does land value affect an urban form?

Answer 30

Highest in city centre- profitable chain stores and skyscrapers
Less profitable shops and large houses located further out where land is cheaper

Question 31

Structure of a city in a developed country

Answer 31

CBD
Inner City- relative poverty, high pop. density, high proportion of ethnic minorities
Suburbs- less dense housing as lower land value, houses are large and newer, less ethnic minorities, science parks and out of town shopping

Question 32

Structure of a city in a developing country

Answer 32

CBD
High cost housing- wealthy residents, luxury apartments, wealthy immigrants from HIC’s
Medium cost housing- Likely to have initially been informal that has slowly improved and had some services provided
Low cost housing- Informal, limited service access, high poverty, rural to urban migrants
Industrial areas located along transport links

Question 33

5 Characteristics of Post Modern Western Cities

Answer 33

Multiple centres with different purposes
Focus on tertiary and quaternary industries
Less uniform architecture
Planning priorities aesthetics over practicality
Higher social and economic inequality