Unit 12 vocab

Affluent

Refers to an area or population characterized by having a high level of wealth or income relative to others.

Architectural traditions

The specific styles, techniques, and materials used in the construction of buildings and structures, often reflecting the cultural, historical, and environmental contexts of a region.

Bid Rent Theory

A theory that explains the location of various types of land uses based on the relationship between land rent and accessibility to markets, with more profitable activities locating closer to the center of a city.

Blockbusting

A practice in real estate where agents or developers encourage the rapid turnover of property in a neighborhood, often by exploiting racial or social tensions, to create a sense of urgency and drive up prices.

Boomburbs

Suburban areas experiencing rapid population growth, economic development, and urbanization, typically characterized by sprawling development and diverse economic activities.

Brownfields

Abandoned or underutilized industrial or commercial sites, often contaminated with hazardous substances, which may require cleanup or redevelopment before they can be reused.

Burgess Concentric Zone Model

A theoretical urban model proposed by sociologist Ernest Burgess, which describes cities as growing outward from a central business district (CBD) in concentric rings of different land uses, such as residential, industrial, and commercial.

Central Business District (CBD)

The commercial and economic heart of a city, typically characterized by high-density development, skyscrapers, and a concentration of businesses, offices, retail stores, and government institutions.

Central Place Theory

A theory proposed by geographer Walter Christaller, which explains the distribution and spatial arrangement of human settlements based on the principles of market areas, central places, and the hierarchy of services.

Demographic

Relating to the statistical characteristics of populations, including factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, income, education, and migration patterns.

Disamenity Zones

Areas within cities characterized by extreme poverty, inadequate infrastructure, social problems, and high levels of crime and violence.

Edge Cities

Suburban areas or clusters of commercial and office developments located on the outskirts of a metropolitan area, often with their own infrastructure and amenities.

Environmental Injustice

The disproportionate exposure of certain populations, often minority or low-income communities, to environmental hazards, pollution, and degradation.

Ethnic neighborhoods

Residential areas within cities where a particular ethnic or cultural group is the predominant population, often characterized by shared cultural practices, institutions, and businesses.

Ethnic segregation

The spatial separation of different ethnic or racial groups within urban areas, often resulting from discriminatory practices, socioeconomic factors, or cultural preferences.

Exurbs

Outlying suburban areas beyond the traditional suburbs, characterized by low-density development, larger lot sizes, and residents who commute to urban centers for work.

Galactic City Model

A theoretical urban model proposed by geographer James Vance, which describes cities as decentralized and polycentric, with multiple nuclei or centers of activity connected by transportation corridors.

Gated Community

A residential development or neighborhood enclosed by walls, fences, or gates and often equipped with security measures such as guards or access controls.

Gentrification

The process of urban revitalization and redevelopment, typically involving the renovation of deteriorating properties and the influx of wealthier residents, leading to rising property values and the displacement of lower-income residents.

Gravity Model

A geographical concept used to predict the flow of people, goods, or information between two locations based on their size and distance from each other, with larger and closer places having greater interaction.

Greenbelt

A zone of protected or undeveloped land surrounding an urban area, often designated to prevent urban sprawl, protect natural habitats, and provide recreational space.

Harris-Ullman Multi Nuclei Model

A theoretical urban model proposed by geographers Chauncy Harris and Edward Ullman, which describes cities as having multiple centers or nuclei of activity, each specializing in different functions or activities.

Hoyt Sector Model

A theoretical urban model proposed by economist Homer Hoyt, which describes cities as developing outward from a central business district (CBD) along transportation corridors and in sectors or wedges based on various factors such as transportation routes, land values, and socioeconomic status.

Infilling

The process of developing vacant or underutilized land within already built-up urban areas, often involving the construction of new buildings or the redevelopment of existing structures.

Infrastructure

The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, including transportation networks, utilities, communication systems, and public services.

Megacities

Extremely large urban agglomerations with populations exceeding 10 million people, characterized by high population density, economic complexity, and social diversity.

Metacities

A term sometimes used to describe cities with populations exceeding 20 million people, often found in regions experiencing rapid urbanization and industrialization.

Metropolitan

Referring to a large urban area and its surrounding suburbs and satellite cities, often characterized by economic and social integration, shared infrastructure, and interconnected transportation networks.

Mixed-Use Development

Urban or suburban development projects that combine residential, commercial, and/or industrial land uses within the same area or building complex, often promoting walkability, sustainability, and diversity.

New Urbanism

An urban planning and design movement that promotes walkable neighborhoods, mixed land uses, traditional architecture, and sustainable development principles, with a focus on creating vibrant and inclusive communities.

Primate City

A city that serves as the dominant urban center within a country or region, typically overshadowing other cities in terms of population, economic activity, political influence, and cultural significance.

Qualitative data

Descriptive information or data that is not numerical but instead provides insights, opinions, or interpretations based on qualities, characteristics, or attributes.

Quantitative data

Numerical information or data that can be measured or expressed in terms of quantity, such as statistics, measurements, or counts.

Rank-Size Rule

A principle observed in urban geography where the population size of cities within a country or region is inversely proportional to their rank in a hierarchical order, with the largest city being approximately twice the size of the second-largest city, three times the size of the third-largest city, and so on.

Redlining

A discriminatory practice in housing and lending whereby financial institutions or government agencies refuse or limit loans, mortgages, or insurance to certain neighborhoods or communities, typically based on their racial or socioeconomic composition.

Shantytowns

Informal settlements or slums characterized by makeshift housing, inadequate infrastructure, and poor living conditions, often found in urban areas of developing countries and inhabited by marginalized or impoverished populations.

Site

The specific physical characteristics and attributes of a location where a settlement or urban area is situated, including factors such as topography, climate, soil, and natural resources.

Situation

The relative location of a place or settlement in relation to its surrounding environment, other settlements, transportation networks, and economic or cultural centers.

Slow-growth cities

Urban areas experiencing minimal or stagnant population growth, economic development, or physical expansion, often as a result of economic decline, outmigration, or strict land use regulations.

Smart Growth

An urban planning and development strategy that promotes sustainable and equitable growth by emphasizing compact, mixed-use development, efficient transportation systems, environmental conservation, and community engagement.

Squatter settlements

Informal housing developments or settlements built on land that occupants do not legally own or have the right to occupy, often lacking proper infrastructure, services, and legal recognition.

Suburban Sprawl

Uncontrolled or unplanned expansion of suburban development characterized by low-density, car-dependent land use patterns, fragmented development, and inefficient land use.

Suburbanization

The process of population and economic growth, as well as land development, spreading from urban centers into surrounding suburban areas, typically resulting in the expansion of residential, commercial, and industrial zones.

Transit-oriented development

A planning approach that promotes mixed-use development, higher-density housing, and commercial centers around public transportation hubs, with the aim of reducing automobile dependency and encouraging sustainable urban growth.

Urban blight

The deterioration, decay, or decline of urban areas characterized by abandoned buildings, vacant lots, crime, poverty, and social disorganization, often resulting from economic decline, deindustrialization, or neglect.

Urban development

The process of physical, economic, and social transformation and growth within urban areas, including the construction of infrastructure, buildings, and amenities, as well as changes in land use, population, and economic activity.

Urban Morphology

The study of the form, layout, structure, and spatial organization of urban areas, including patterns of streets, buildings, open spaces, and land use, as well as their historical development and evolution.

Urban revolution

A significant transformation or change in human society characterized by the rise of cities, urbanization, and the development of complex social, economic, and political systems, typically associated with the transition from agrarian to urban-based societies.

Urbanization

The process of population concentration and economic development in urban areas, resulting in the growth of cities, expansion of urban infrastructure, and changes in social and cultural patterns.

Walkability

The degree to which an area or neighborhood is pedestrian-friendly, with features such as sidewalks, crosswalks, parks, and amenities that encourage walking as a means of transportation and recreation.

World Cities

Major urban centers that play significant roles in global economic, cultural, and political networks, serving as hubs for finance, commerce, communication, and transportation on an international scale.

World-regional models

Theoretical frameworks or models used to understand the spatial organization, patterns, and interactions of human activities within specific world regions, such as Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Zones of Abandonment

Areas within cities or urban regions that have been largely abandoned or depopulated due to economic decline, environmental degradation, or social unrest, often characterized by vacant buildings, neglected infrastructure, and urban decay.