Unit 6 HuG Vocabulary

urbanization

the process where an increasing percentage of a population moves to and lives in urban areas leading to the growth and expansion of cities

example of urbanization

migrants moving from rural regions to seek better economic opportunities

megacities

an urban area with a population exceeding 10 million people

example of megacities

Tokyo, Shanghai, Manila, and New York City

metacities

A very large urban area with a population exceeding 20 million

example of metacities

London, UK and Tokyo, Japan

periphery

regions that are often economically and politically disadvantaged compared to more developed areas

example of periphery

D.R. of Congo

semi-periphery

countries that are not as economically developed as core nations, but are more developed than periphery countries

example of semi-periphery

Mexico

suburbanization

The process where people move from urban areas to the outskirts of suburbs

example of suburbanization

Levittown, New York

sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural land

example of sprawl

Atlanta, Georgia or Phoenix, Arizona

decentralization

The process of moving power authority, and resources away from central authority

Example of decentralization

The movement of businesses away from a central city into suburban areas

edge cities

a large city that's located in the suburbs or on the outskirts of a metropolitan area

example of edge cities

Boston, MA and Nashville, TN

Exurbs

residential, prosperous, but rural areas beyond the suburbs

example of exurbs

Atlanta, Georgia

boomburbs

A large, rapidly growing suburb city that maintains a suburban character even as its population expands to size comparable to a major urban core

example of boomburbs

Irvine, California

World cities

a major urban center that functions as a key hub for global, economic, cultural, and political activities

example of world cities

London and Tokyo

Worlds urban hierarchy

A ranking system of cities based on their global, economic, and cultural significance

example of world urban Hierarchy

London, Tokyo, and New York City are at the top

Rank size rule

a pattern where a country's cities are arranged in a hierarchy, with the second-largest city having about half the population of the largest, the third-largest having one-third, and so on

Primate city

The largest city in a country, significantly larger than any other city in the nation

Example of primate city

Paris, France

Gravity model

A concept that predicts the interaction between two places based on their population size and the distance separating them

Example of gravity model

Comparing the interaction between New York City and Los Angeles versus New York City and Mexico City

worlds urban hierarchy

categorizes cities into levels such as global cities, regional cities, and local towns based on their influence and functionality

christaller’s central place theory

explains the distribution of cities of different sizes across a region. The model used consumer behavior related to purchasing goods and services to explain the distribution of settlements.

burgess concentric-zone model

describes a city as a series of rings that surrounds a central business district; proposed in the 1920s

hoyt's sector model

a model that suggested that cities develop in sectors or wedges radiating out from the central business district (CBD) rather than in concentric circles; emphasizes that certain areas of a city are more likely to attract specific types of land use and socio-economic classes, influenced by factors such as transportation routes and social dynamics.

Harris and Ullman multiple-nuclei model

a model that suggested that functional zonation occurred around multiple centers, or nodes. The characteristics of each node either attracted or repelled certain types of activities. The result was a city that consisted of a patchwork of land uses, each with its own center, or nucleus.

Galactic City Model

the structure of urban areas that develop around a central city, characterized by the presence of peripheral suburbs and edge cities

Bid-Rent Theory

as one moves away from the central business district, the price of land decreases

Griffin Ford Model

a theoretical framework that explains the internal structure of cities, particularly in Latin America. This model highlights the spatial distribution of wealth and services within a city and how they interact with each other.

The McGee Model

describes the urban structure of certain Southeast Asian cities. This model highlights the lack of a strong central business district, instead presenting multiple nodes of activity, with a focus on the importance of the port and the presence of commercial and residential zones that develop around it.

Sub-Saharan African City Model

includes three CBDs: a colonial CBD: characterized by vertical development, including multi-story buildings. a traditional CBD: a zone of single-story buildings. a market CBD: an open-air, informal trading area.

Residential Buildings

structures designed primarily for people to live in, encompassing a variety of forms

Example of residential buildings

single-family homes, multi-family apartments, and condominiums.

infilling

the process of developing vacant or underutilized land within existing urban areas, aiming to make better use of already developed spaces.

example of infilling

redevelopment of a vacant lot in a city center to build new apartments or mixed-use buildings

infrastructure

the facilities and systems that serve the population

example of infrastructure

transportation features, such as roads, bridges, parking lots, and signs and communications features such as cell phone towers, television cables, and Internet service

sustainable design initiatives

urban planning strategies aimed at creating environmentally friendly cities

example of sustainable design initiatives

reducing sprawl (uncontrolled urban expansion), promoting walkability, and increasing public transportation

zoning

legal process used by local governments to regulate land use and development within specific areas of a city

example of zoning

residential zoning (for homes), commercial zoning (for businesses), and industrial zoning (for factories).

mixed land use

the planning and development of urban spaces that integrate residential, commercial, and recreational areas within close proximity

example of mixed land use

a building where the ground floor is occupied by retail shops and restaurants, while the upper floors are used for residential apartments

walkability

the measure of how friendly an area is to walking

example of walkability

when neighborhoods are designed with pedestrian-friendly features like sidewalks, parks, and public spaces, people are more likely to walk and encounter others.

transportation-oriented development

helps reduce traffic congestion by encouraging people to use public transportation instead of personal vehicles

example of transportation-oriented development

We go buses in nashville

smart growth policies

encourage mixed-use developments where residential, commercial, and recreational spaces are integrated to reduce travel time and promote walkability

example of smart growth policies

promoting mixed-use development, walkable neighborhoods, and access to public transportation

New Urbanism

New Urbanism aims to reduce reliance on cars by promoting alternative transportation options like biking, walking, and public transit.

greenbelts

places and infrastructure that limit the sprawl of an urban center

example of greenbelts

parks and agriculture

slow growth cities

Cities that have a smaller growth rate than the average.

example of slow growth cities

Portland, a european country with greenbelts

De Facto Segregation

Racial segregation that happens by fact rather than by legal requirement.

example of De Facto Segregation

residential and school segregation

housing discrimination

The illegal practice of denying an individual or group the right to buy or rent a home based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or family status.

redlining

Illegal practice of refusing to make mortgage loans or issue insurance policies in specific areas for reasons other than economic qualifications of applicants

blockbusting

when people of an ethnic group sold their homes upon learning that members of another ethnic group were moving into the neighborhood.

example of blockbusting

In U.S. history, often middle-class White families left when African American or Hispanic families moved into neighborhood.

affordability

the ability of individuals or groups to purchase goods and services without financial strain, particularly focusing on essential resources like housing, healthcare, and education

example of affordability

a city implementing policies like rent control or public housing to ensure low-income residents can afford housing

disamenity zones

areas not connected to city services and under the control of criminals. They are often in physically unsafe locations, such as on steep, unstable mountain slopes. Structures are poorly constructed, often by the residents themselves, and densely packed together.

example of disamenity zone

Villa El Salvador in Lima, Peru, a very poor place in Lima, Peru

squatter settlements

a collection of buildings, often on the periphery of a city, where residents lack legal rights to the land they occupy, typically arising due to a lack of affordable housing options. meaning, they are living there illegally.

example of squatter settlements

One of the largest informal settlement in the world is Kibera, on the western edge of Nairobi, Kenya.