Unit 6 Cities and Urban Land Use Patterns and Processes

Unit 6 Cities and Urban Land Use Patterns and Processes

African City Model

a diagram that represents a generalized urban area in sub-Saharan Africa.

Bid-rent theory

geographical economic concept that explains how land prices and demand change based on distance from a central business district (CBD), essentially stating that land closer to the city center will be more expensive due to higher demand, leading to different land uses depending on their ability to "bid" for that prime location.

Blockbusting

a discriminatory real estate practice where agents would convince white homeowners to sell their properties at low prices by fearmongering that minority groups were moving into the neighborhood, then selling those houses at inflated prices to minority buyers, often contributing to racial segregation in urban areas; essentially exploiting racial anxieties to profit from property sales

Boomburbs

A large, rapidly growing city that is suburban in character but resembles population totals or large urban cores

Brownfields

an abandoned or underutilized industrial or commercial property that may be contaminated with hazardous substances, making its redevelopment complicated due to potential environmental risks; essentially, a previously developed land that is not currently in use and might be polluted, often found in urban areas where past industrial activity left behind contamination

Burgess Conentric-Zone Model

a theory that describes a city as a series of concentric rings, with the central business district at the core, surrounded by progressively outward zones of transition, working-class residential areas, middle-class residential areas, and finally, a commuter zone, illustrating how land use and socio-economic conditions vary as you move away from the city cente

Christaller’s Central Place Theory

A geographical theory that explains the size, number, and distribution of human settlements in a hierarchical system, where central places provide services to surrounding areas based on market areas.

De Facto Segregation

The separation of groups based on social, economic, or other factors that occurs without legal enforcement, often resulting from individual choices and societal norms. This type of segregation can manifest in housing, education, and public services.

Ecological Footprint

A measure of the environmental impact of an individual or community, expressed as the amount of land and water area required to produce the resources consumed and absorb the waste generated.

Edge cities

Suburban areas with concentrated business, retail, and entertainment facilities that emerge at the outskirts of major cities, often characterized by a lack of traditional urban infrastructure.

Exurbs

Low-density residential areas located beyond the suburbs, often characterized by a mix of rural and urban features, where residents typically commute to urban centers for work.

Gentrification

The process of renovating and improving a neighborhood, often resulting in the displacement of lower-income residents due to rising property values and living costs.

Gravity Model

A model used to predict the interaction between two places based on their population sizes and the distance between them, often applied in urban planning and market analysis.

Greenbelts

Areas of open land around urban centers, preserved to limit urban sprawl and promote ecological sustainability.

Griffin-Ford Latin America City Model

A model that describes the layout of cities in Latin America, characterized by a central plaza, a spine of commercial development, and zones of varying socioeconomic status.

Harris and Ullman Multiple-Nuclei Model

A model that explains urban land use patterns through multiple centers of activity, each serving different functions and attracting various populations, rather than a single central business district.

Housing Discrimination

The unfair treatment of individuals in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability, often resulting in unequal access to housing opportunities.

Hoyt Sector Model

A model that illustrates urban land use in sectors radiating from the central business district, with different types of residential areas extending outward along transportation routes.

Infilling

The process of developing vacant or under-used parcels of land within existing urban areas, often to increase density and improve land use efficiency.

Megacities

Large metropolitan areas with over 10 million inhabitants, often characterized by significant economic, social, and infrastructure challenges.

Metacities

Large urban areas with populations exceeding 20 million, characterized by significant economic, social, and environmental challenges.

Mixed land use development

A planning approach that integrates residential, commercial, and recreational spaces within a single area to promote walkability and reduce reliance on automobiles.

New Urbanism

an urban planning and design movement that aims to create walkable, sustainable communities

Periphery

the outer, less developed regions of the world within the "core-periphery" model

Primate City

a city within a country that is significantly larger than any other city in the nation, holding a disproportionate level of economic, political, and cultural influence

Rank-size rule

a pattern where a country's nth-largest city has roughly 1/nth the population of the largest city

Redlining

the discriminatory practice where banks and other financial institutions deliberately refuse to provide loans or mortgages to individuals in certain neighborhoods, typically predominantly minority areas, marked on maps as "high risk," effectively preventing people in those areas from buying homes or accessing credit, often based on racial bias

Semi periphery

countries that are between the core and periphery in terms of economic and political power

Site Factor

the physical characteristics of a place itself, including its landforms, climate, vegetation, water availability, soil quality, minerals, and wildlife

Situation Factors

external conditions or circumstances that can influence a person's behavior, actions, or decision-making

Slow-growth city

cities that focus on community development and economic growth that's unique to their location

smart-growth policies

urban planning strategies aimed at creating compact, walkable, and mixed-use communities by prioritizing public transportation, limiting urban sprawl, and promoting diverse housing options, with the goal of achieving sustainable and equitable development across economic, social, and environmental aspects of a city or region

Southeast Asian City Model

a theoretical model depicting the spatial structure of a typical city in Southeast Asia, characterized by a prominent commercial zone concentrated around the port area, often with distinct Chinese commercial districts, and residential areas segregated by ethnicity or socioeconomic status, heavily influenced by colonial legacies and trade patterns

Squatter Settlement

an informal housing area where people reside on land they do not own or rent, often without legal permission

Galactic city model

a conceptual model depicting a decentralized urban area where multiple suburban business centers, known as "edge cities," are connected by major transportation arteries like beltways, effectively creating a sprawling, car-dependent urban landscape with a less dominant central business district (CBD) compared to traditional city models

Suburbization

the process of people moving from cities to the surrounding suburbs, resulting in the growth of those suburbs

suburban sprawl

the uncontrolled expansion of urban areas.

Urban Hearth

the geographic origin or center where a particular cultural trait, innovation, or practice begins and then spreads to other areas.

Urbanization

the process where a population shifts from rural areas to urban areas, essentially meaning a growing concentration of people living in cities, often due to migration from rural regions, leading to the expansion and development of urban settlement

Urban Hierarchy

A ranking of settlements (hamlet, village, town, city, metropolis) according to their size and economic functions.

Urban Models

Theoretical frameworks that describe the spatial organization and development patterns of cities, including factors influencing urban growth and land use.

Urban Renewal

The process of rehabilitating and redeveloping urban areas to improve infrastructure, housing, and economic opportunities, often involving the restoration of deteriorated neighborhoods.

World-cities

Cities that exert significant influence on global affairs, economics, and culture, often serving as major centers for trade, finance, and communication.

Zones of Abandonment

Areas in urban settings that have been deserted or neglected, often due to economic decline or shifts in population. These zones typically feature deteriorating buildings and infrastructure.