Urbanization and City Models

Flashcards covering key terminology and models related to urbanization and land use in cities.

Borchert’s Model of Urban Evolution

Analyzed urbanization in North America through 5 epochs based on transportation and communication impacts.

Sail-Wagon Epoch

First epoch (1790 - 1830) in Borchert’s model, characterized by reliance on sailing ships and horse-drawn wagons.

Iron Horse Epoch

Second epoch (1830 - 1870) marked by the introduction of the steam-powered locomotive.

Steel-Rail Epoch

Third epoch (1870 - 1920) that saw the full impact of the Industrial Revolution, expanding hinterlands.

Auto-Air-Amenity Epoch

Fourth epoch (1920 - 1970) driven by gas-powered internal combustion engines.

High Technology Epoch

Fifth epoch (1970 - present) focusing on service and information industries.

Central Business District (CBD)

The commercial and business center of a city, typically featuring high land values.

Concentric Zone Model

A model describing urban land use in circular zones, each characterized by different types of housing and industries.

Multiple Nuclei Model

A model suggesting that urban areas develop multiple centers or nuclei, rather than a single CBD.

Urban Realms Model

A model indicating parts of large conurbations that are self-sufficient suburban areas, each with their own CBD.

Edge Cities

Suburban areas that emerged as significant centers for employment and retail, characterized by extensive commercial space.

Griffin-Ford Model

A model describing Latin American cities with CBD, elite residential sectors, and zones of maturity and poverty.

Disamenity Sector

Areas in urban environments characterized by extreme poverty and poor living conditions, often with criminal elements.

T.G. McGee Model

A model representing Southeast Asian cities with a focus on old colonial port zones and multiple clustered CBDs.

Conurbation

An extended urban area formed by the merging of cities and towns.

Exurb

A community located beyond the suburbs, typically rural, but economically linked to the urban area.

Favela

Informal settlements on the outskirts of cities in Latin America, often constructed illegally.

Malquiladora

Factories on the Mexico border that import materials duty-free, assemble them, and export the finished products.

McMansion

Large, mass-produced suburban homes criticized for their uniformity and excessive space.

Ghetto

A segregated neighborhood where a minority group is concentrated due to external pressures.

Shantytown

A settlement made up of makeshift housing, often constructed from discarded materials.