Option E: Urban Environments

Sub-urbanization

When the outward growth of towns and cities engulfs surrounding villages and rural areas.

Gentrification

Rapid improvement of residential areas by immigrants and the residents themselves, with an increased economic dimension such as the development of retailing and other industries.

Counter-Urbanization

A process involving the movement of population away from larger urban areas to smaller urban areas. (villages on the edge or just beyond the city limits or the rural–urban fringe)

Re-Urbanization/Urban Renewal

The development of activities to increase residential population densities within the existing built up area of a city.

Urban Circular System

A sustainable city in which there are recycling, reuse and reduction of resources, renewable forms of energy, and measures taken to reduce the ecological footprint.

Urban Ecological Footprint

The amount of land required to sustain a population with the resources they need, and to assimilate their waste.

Differentiate between site and situation.

The site of a settlement is the geographical location a settlement is built, whereas its situation refers to its relationship with its surrounding area and its features.

Examples of land use/functions

Industrial - manufacturing industries that process raw materials.

Services - education, health care, retail, entertainment, leisure, recreation.

Transport

Residential

What factors contribute to the categorization of settlement hieracrchies?

range – the maximum distance that people are prepared to travel for a good or service

● threshold – the minimum number of people required for a good or service to stay in business

● low-order goods – necessity goods

● high-order goods – luxury

● sphere of influence

What is a conurbation and a megacity?

Conurbation - when 2 or more cities merge.

Megacity - City with 10 million or more population

Features of a megacities and resons for their growth?

Features: High order goods, higher threshold and range.

Reasons: Rural-urban migration, economic growth, high rates of natural increase. Younger demographic increase and therefore high birth rates.

How does urbanisation benefit a region?

1. Commercially, towns provide the market and exchange centres necessary for the conversion from subsistence to cash crops.

2. Industrially, towns may provide a stimulus for development – the larger the town the better it is for skilled and unskilled labour.

3. Politically, towns may provide a focus for nationalist feeling and also allow for ethnic, tribal and religious intermixing.

4. Administratively, towns provide economies of scale for health and education.

5. Socially, the intermixing may help weaken ties to traditional rural beliefs and customs.

Factors Affecting Residential Patterns in Urban Areas

Physical factors: Topography, climate, water bodies

Land values: Higher in central, connected areas

Ethnicity: Ethnic communities cluster together

Planning: Zoning, renewal, infrastructure shape patterns

What is the bid rent theory?

‘the more accessible the site, the higher its land value’

Characteristics of the CBD

1. Multi-story development: This is a result of the high land values (land is very expensive which is why people have to build upwards to avoid the cost of land).

2. Concentration of retailing: This is because during the day it attracts a large number of people.

3. Public Transport is concentrated: the convergence of bus/rail routes.

4. Vertical zoning is apparent: different sections of the storey building with different functions.

5. High daytime population and low night population.

6. Functional segregation: Every part of the city has a different land use.

7. It changes with time.

8. Traffic restrictions are great

9. Economic/tertiary activities (shops, offices, entertainment) are found here

What causes urban deindustrialization?

Economic shifts from manufacturing to service industries.

Globalization leading to the relocation of manufacturing jobs to countries with lower labor costs.

Technological advancements reducing the need for labor in manufacturing.

Leads to loss of jobs, increased unemployment and poverty rates, rise in social issues (crime, drugs)

What is urban microclimate modification?

Urban microclimate modification refers to changes in local climate caused by urbanization, including temperature, humidity, and wind patterns.

What is urban microclimate modification

The urban heat island effect occurs when urban areas are significantly warmer than their rural surroundings due to human activities.

Causes include heat absorption by buildings and roads, reduced vegetation, and waste heat from energy usage.

What are contested land use changes in urban areas?

Changes include slum clearances, urban redevelopment, and depletion of green space.

What is the cycle of deprivation and its link to crime?

Cycle of deprivation: Poverty leads to poor education and job prospects, perpetuating poverty.

Higher crime rates in deprived areas due to lack of opportunities and resources.

What are the urban growth projections for 2050?

By 2050, 68% of the world’s population is expected to live in urban areas.

What is resilient city design and startegies?

Resilient city design aims to enhance cities' capacity to withstand and recover from climatic and geopolitical risks.

Strategies include robust infrastructure, adaptive urban planning, and community engagement.