Unit 6 Cities and Urban land use

African city model

A model describing the spatial arrangement of many Sub-Saharan African cities, featuring three CBDs (colonial, traditional, and market), ethnic neighborhoods, and informal settlements.

Bid-rent theory

A theory that explains how land price and demand change with distance from the central business district (CBD), where land closer to the CBD is more expensive due to higher accessibility.

Blockbusting

A discriminatory practice in real estate where realtors encourage white residents to sell their homes at a loss by suggesting that racial minorities are moving in.

Boomburb

A rapidly growing suburban city with over 100,000 residents that is not the core city of a metropolitan area.

Borchert Model

Describes the evolution of American cities based on transportation technology across different epochs like sail-wagon, iron horse, and auto-air-amenity.

Brownfielding

The redevelopment of previously used land that may be contaminated, aimed at revitalizing urban areas and reducing sprawl.

Central business district (CBD)

The commercial heart of a city characterized by high values of land and a concentration of business and retail activities.

Christaller's Central Place Theory

A theory explaining spatial distribution of settlements based on the provision of goods and services, with larger settlements serving larger market areas.

Concentric-zone model (Burgess)

A model illustrating urban land use in concentric rings around the CBD, where each ring represents different socioeconomic groups.

De facto segregation

Segregation that exists in practice through social and economic factors, without legal mandates.

Disamenity zone

The poorest parts of cities, possibly without regular city services and often controlled by gangs or drug lords.

Edge city

A large urban area located on the outskirts of a city, featuring office parks, shopping malls, and residential areas.

Environmental injustice

The disproportionate exposure of marginalized communities to environmental hazards while having unequal access to benefits.

Exurb

An area beyond the suburbs where wealthier people live in lower-density housing but still maintain connections to urban areas.

Field study

Research conducted in natural settings to gather observational data about real-world phenomena.

Forward capital

A capital city that has been deliberately relocated for economic or strategic reasons.

Galactic city model

A post-industrial model featuring a sprawling edge city as a new downtown with interconnected nodes of economic activity.

Gravity model

A model predicting interactions between places based on their population size and distance from one another.

Greenbelts

Rings of parkland or open spaces maintained around cities to limit urban sprawl.

Housing discrimination

Denying housing based on race, religion, sex, familial status, disability, or national origin.

Infilling

The development of vacant or underused land within existing urban areas.

Infrastructure

Basic physical structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, such as roads and bridges.

Land use

Various ways humans use land, including residential, commercial, and recreational purposes.

Latin American city model

A model combining radial sectors and concentric zones, featuring a CBD, market, elite residential sector, and squatter settlements.

Megacities

Cities with populations exceeding 10 million people.

Megalopolis

A chain of connected metropolitan areas.

Metacities

Cities with populations over 20 million people.

Mixed land use

Urban planning that incorporates various uses, including residential and commercial within the same area.

Multiple nuclei model (Harris and Ullman)

A model where cities develop around multiple nodes of activity instead of a single CBD.

Place character

The unique attributes that give a location its identity.

Planned city

A city that is constructed according to a specific design.

Primate city

The largest city in a country, disproportionately larger than any others in the urban hierarchy.

Qualitative data

Descriptive data gathered through observation, not measurement.

Quantitative data

Numerical data that can be statistically analyzed.

Rank-size rule

A principle where the nth largest city is 1/n the size of the largest city.

Redlining

The practice of denying services to residents of certain areas based on race or ethnicity.

Sector model (Hoyt)

A model describing city growth outward from the CBD along transportation corridors creating wedge-shaped sectors.

Site and situation

Site refers to a place's absolute location, while situation refers to its relative location.

Slow-growth cities

Cities that implement strategies to limit population growth and urban sprawl.

Smart growth policies

Legislation aimed at curbing sprawl and promoting compact, mixed-use development.

Southeast Asian city model

A city model that includes a focal point of a port zone and export-oriented industrial parks.

Squatter settlement

Informal housing areas that develop without legal tenure and often lack basic services.

Suburbanization

The growth of areas on the fringe of urban areas.

Survey data

Information gathered from individuals’ responses to questions.

Sustainable design initiatives

Urban planning strategies aimed at reducing environmental impact.

Sustainable urban design

City design that considers environmental impact, resource conservation, and social equity.

Transportation-oriented development

Development focusing on public transport hubs to promote walkability.

Urban decentralization

The shift of population and economic activity from central areas to suburbs and exurbs.

Urban hierarchy

The ranking of settlements based on size and complexity.

Urban sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into the countryside.

Urban walkability

The design of urban areas that encourages walking.

Urbanization

The increasing proportion of a population living in urban areas.

World city

A dominant city in the global hierarchy, known for economic, cultural, and political activity.

Zone of abandonment

Areas within a city that have been deserted or left to decay.

Zoning

Dividing land into sections reserved for various purposes like residential and commercial use.

New Urbanism

Planning and development approach based on the principles of walkable neighborhoods, mixed-use development, and diverse housing options. Example: Celebration, Florida.

Land Tenure

The system of rights and rules by which land is held and used, outlining who owns, occupies, or has rights to use land and resources. Example: Private ownership, communal land rights, leaseholds.