3.2.3.2 Urban forms

Urban forms

Physical structure and organisation of an urban area

HDE Urban Models

Burgess’s concentric zone model, Hoyt’s sector model, Multi Nuclei model, Bint rent

Burgess’s concentric zone model and evaluation

Cities grow outwards in concentric ‘zone of transition’ rings around CBD core which feature decreasing house price/quality. Ignored impact of physical landscape (Chicago on Great Lake border so cant grow in a circle), fails to account for urban regeneration/gentrification/decentralisation

Hoyt’s sector model and evaluation

Cities develop in sectors/corridors following major transport routes from the CBD. Upper class develop along physical/social attraction (rivers), lower class in unfavourable areas. Ignores rise of out of town development and physical environment

Multi Nuclei Model and evalaution

Modern cities develop/cluster around multiple important nuclei rather that just one CBD, first model to recognise complexity of urban periphery. Does not fully integrate planning decisions or unique constraints of a landscape

Bin rent theory

Land value falls away from the centre as residents require land for cheaper and shops/offices can afford the highest ‘Bin Rent’. Assumes straight cost curves and ignores impact of government planning decisions or transport networks.

Peak Land Value Intersection

Highest land value which declines in line with the distance decay theory

Urban characteristics in contrasting settings

HDEs growth is slow and only urban resurgence/decentralisation, LDE is rapid from urbanisation. HDE housing value increases with distance from core due to edge cities and retail parks, LDEs decreases with distance due to squatter settlements. HDEs an ‘urban mosaic’ of quirky development from resurgence and decentralisation, LDEs unplanned nature from mass migration causes slums

Physical factors shaping urban forms

Topography (exclusive housing in Hollywood, dangerous favelas in Rio), Water/coastlines (restrict growth like Chicago or encourage linear growth like Mumbai), Natural resources (coal in Cardiff), Ground type (Chicago originally on swampland)

Human factors shaping urban forms

Planning/Policy, Infrastructure/Technology (Science parks and road networks), Land Value

Positive characteristics of megacities

expand services in an economically efficient manner, less environmentally damaging for a dense population, urban dwellers access larger and diverse employment, better levels of education and healthcare, centres of innovation and political power

Negative characteristics of megacities

Growth in population not matched by infrastructure, challenges in providing employment etc, hard to effectively govern, haphazard urban sprawl causes congestion

Economic inequality HDE vs LDE

HDE often extreme (ranked by IMD), Richest 10% of Lindon hold 60% of assets, key workers excluded from city core due to house prices. LDE contrasts more visible, 55% Mumbai live below the poverty line and segregation such as ‘Antilla’

Social segregation HDEs vs LDEs

Gentrification, Fortress developments (LA and Sao Paulo), Suburbanisation, Clusters from ethnicity/income

New urban landscapes

Town centre mixed developments, cultural and heritage quarters, fortress developments, gentrified areas, edge cities

Town centre mixed development features

Increased flagship attractions/leisure facilities, green spaces, street entertainment, clubbing (Trinity Square Gateshead)

Positives and negatives of Town centre mixed development

Strict out of town planning regulations bring people back to centre, CBD still declines

Cultural and Heritage Quarters

Planned urban areas that leverage a unique historical identity through creative industries/ heritage tourism to drive resurgence

Features of Cultural and Heritage Quarters

Employment clusters for tertiary/quaternary, investment into physical environment/brownfield site regeneration. Birmingham Jewellery Quarter employs 4,000 people, makes £750million for Birmingham annually and has 200 listed buildings for heritage tourism

Fortress landscapes

Designed around security, protection and surveillance (CCTV, speed bumps, street lighting

Fortress LA features

Gated communities, armed response units, staked metal fences around malls, anti homeless spikes

Gentrification

Buy and renovating properties in run down areas by the wealthy (Notting Hill)

Causes of gentrification

Rent gap theory, No need to commute, Pioneer image, Support from government, Household composition change

Evaluation of gentrification

Rise in services, increased tax revenue, physical enviroment improved. Lower incomes cant pay rent, loss of business for ‘corner shops’, friction between newcomers

Edge City

Self contained settlement emerged beyond a city and developed in its own right (Croydon)

Urban morpohology

Spatial structure and organisation of an area

CBD

Central area containing shops, officies and entertainment

Causes of decline in city centres

Out of town retail parks, Decentralisation, High parking costs/congestion, Negative city perceptions

Postmodern western city

Shift in urban form/function from rigid functional land use and architectural uniformity to a fragmented ‘urban mosaic’

Features of Postmodern western citys

Fragmented urban forms/NEW URBAN LANDSCAPES (edge cities), economic shift to greater emphasis on knowledge based industries, varied architecture/spectacular flagship development (Gherkin London form>functionality mechanism for structural change through gentrification), greater diversity but heightened inequality shows social polarisation (fortress landscapes)