World Cities Flashcards
World City- London
South-east england
Population= 8.6million
densely populated- increasing towards centre
transport hub to Europe and world
Green Spaces- 8mil trees, 47% green, lots of parks
Jobs- levels of unemployment rising, highly educated, youth employment
Issues- high cost of living, low wages, pollution, congestion
Solutions- dust suppressants, more affordable homes
World City- New York
east coast of USA
population= 8.1million
‘concrete jungle’
50% rural, 50% urban
Housing- majority is apartment, rent increasing (11% in 2005)
Jobs- mostly economic/technological
Issues- immigrants in poverty, public housing cuts, high crime rates, ageing population, low performing schools, high green house gases
Solutions- increased support, increased police patrols, solar panels, increased minimum wage
Urbanisation
Sao Paulo, Brazil
population=19million
density=21000km^-2
Environment- 25% of all vehicles in Brazil here, high levels of ozone, two landfill sites in 2001
Why come? centre of agriculture, major industrial centre+manufacturing, high temperatures
Housing/Quality of life- luxury rented flats and favelas, highest unemployment rate in Brazil, large divide between rich and poor, 1999=11500 deaths, rich use helicopters to travel from roof to roof
Favelas- 70% substandard housing, 60% population growth, hazardous areas, densely packed, poor materials, lack of services
Housing Improvement Schemes- large scale, want to upgrade slums, self help projects, communities, small scale entrepreneurs, cooperation between locals/authorities
Urbanisation/sustainable settlement
Dharavi, Mumbai
Mega city- 1mil in 1km^2
slum built on top of a tip- toxic compounds
‘embryonic city’
The Slum:
organised roads with a solid centre
one family per house, up to 20 people
foreigners not allowed
most own TV
500 per toilet, open sewage
water shortage in India so rationed in slums
Sustainablity:
85% employment rate (better than UK)
huge recycling industry- everything recycled, 80% of plastic, 1mil rubbish bags collected a day
35000 ‘rag pickers’ look for rubbish
Redevelopment:
$2billion- flatten slum should be made better, not destroyed
get new place if there since 2000- unfair
Out of town retail- Kent
Blue Water
Europe’s largest retail and leisure complex
opened in 1999
on a brownfield site
27 visitors a year
40 mins for central london
Advantages- 13000 car parking spaces, good transport links, provide jobs, strengthens local income, safe, family friendly, wide range of services
Disadvantages- increased congestion, decline in local CBD, increased pollution
Out of town retail- Manchester
The Trafford Centre
opened in 1998
5.5mil live within 45min drive
29mil visitors a year
designed to be more than just a shopping centre- food/cinema
Advantages- good motorway links, 11000 free car parking spaces, bus station (120per hour), disabled facilities, airconditioned, safe
Disadvantages- heavy traffic, artificial environment, chain stores (expensive for local businesses), hard to access for elderly
Sustainable living- waste/traffic management
Curitiba, Brazil more than 2mil people 1000km from Rio one of most pleasant cities to live and work in no squatter settlements or heavy traffic Jaime Lerner- people more important than economy Recycling: separate waste (organic/nonorganic) recycle plant made from recycled materials- sort into types recycle 2/3 of all rubbish Green Exchange- overproduction of greenbelt produce, exchange recycling for spare food or bus fares-poor can travel and eat, 300tonnes of garbage each month Integrated Transport System: buses- quick, cheap, dedicated lanes anywhere for one fare acts like a subway (500x cheaper) each bus can carry 4000 passengers bi-articulated interchange terminals to speed up
Gentrification
Notting Hill, London
18thC- country hamlet, road side inns, tollgate, terraced homes
1950- slum and deprivation
Today- house prices very high, secluded communal garderns, movie stars/musicians attracted to area, high profile area, fashionable places to go out to, famous market and carnival
Advantages- lots of services for all ages, near to work in central London, good transport links, large homes or small apartments, safe, increased prices to sell at
Disadvantages- expensive to buy, expensive place to live, popular so not often property for sale, old residents displaced, tube can be difficult for elderly/mothers
Ecotowns
must be away from existing towns but well linked to them
good range of facilities- secondary school/business space/leisure
30-50% affordable housing
North-West Bicester
6000 new homes, primary school
environmentally, socially, economically sustainable
carbon neutral, water efficient, solar panels
transport- car sharing, good cycle paths
Advantages- families can afford, local jobs, safe, community
Disadvantages- empty houses already, lost farms, traffic, close to greenbelt
Counter-urbanisation
St Ives, Cambridgeshire
100km form London with regular trains
picturesque town
building styles contribute to character (Georgian, Victorian)
surrounding area is rural- mainly farms
Services:
changed over the years
old services (markets) and new high street stores (boutiques)
secondary school role is increasing
Changing Population:
ageing and youthful
large proportion of working population go to London
demand for affordable housing and bungalows
Urbanisation- UDC
land acquisation- compulsory purchasing of land
power to give planning permission
power to renew existing infrastructure
link to central government
London Docklands
set up in 1980s
reverse effects of inner city decline- regenerate
Why Decline?
well connected to other cities so fewer goods needed to be made in London
move abroad for cheaper labour
big ships couldn’t sail down Thames- docks on coast
jobs lost- less income in area, couldn’t look after area
not completely demolished, rebuilt
increased spend on social housing
market began to recover
Sports led regeneration
London 2012 Games won bid in 2005 £10billion provide legacy of sustainable impacts first major park in over a century 11000 athletes, 6000 coaches, 63000 workers
Impacts:
Economic- 380 companies had to move, IT and new technologies developed, 3000 high tech jobs (not suitable for residents?)
Environmental- re-landscaping of derelict, all one site (reduce congestion), environmental quality was poor, derelict factories, electricity pylons bad
Local People- leaves housing for afterwards, expensive prices, re-branded, low wages can part-purchase
Suburbanisation
Los Angeles
Reasons for growth:
Transport- transcontinental railway, millions arrived, Airport
Employment- manufacturing industries started, Oil etc
Image- development of film industry, LA became glamorous
Greater Affluence- people can choose where to live
Push- crowded, congestion, poor schools, bad services, pollution, high crime
Pull- more open spaces, large shopping centres, cheaper land, safer
Urban Smog- greater pollution (asthma), environmental impact, 10 million car users
Donut City- everyone move to suburbs, hole in city centre (decline), out city have little contact with inner
Issues:
Water- piped from 350km away, lots for pools
Waster- 50000tonnes a day, run out of room
Energy- blackouts due to high temps, power stations unable to cope with increasing need
