Unit 6 Cities and Urban land use

1. African city model A model describing the spatial arrangement of many Sub-Saharan African cities. It often includes three CBDs (colonial, traditional, and market), ethnic neighborhoods, and informal settlements. Example: Lagos, Nigeria.

2. bid-rent theoryA geographical economic theory that describes how land price and demand change as distance from the central business district (CBD) increases. Land closer to the CBD is more expensive due to higher accessibility. Example: High-rise office buildings in a CBD vs. single-family homes in the suburbs.

3. blockbustingA discriminatory real estate practice where realtors encourage white residents to sell their homes at a loss by implying that racial minorities are moving into the neighborhood, leading to rapid demographic change. Example: Real estate agents spreading rumors about declining property values due to minority influx.

4. boomburbA rapidly growing suburban city with a population of over 100,000, but is not the core city of a metropolitan area. Example: Irvine, California (part of the Los Angeles metro area).5. Borchert ModelDescribes the evolution of American cities based on transportation technology. Each epoch (sail-wagon, iron horse, steel rail, auto-air-amenity) saw different urban growth patterns. Example: The rise of industrial cities along rail lines in the "iron horse" epoch.

6. BrownfieldingThe redevelopment of previously used land that may be contaminated with hazardous waste. It aims to revitalize urban areas and reduce urban sprawl. Example: Converting an old industrial site into a park or residential area.

7. central business district (CBD)The commercial heart of a city, characterized by high land values, tall buildings, and a concentration of business and retail activities. Example: Downtown Manhattan in New York City.

8. Christaller's Central Place TheoryA theory explaining the spatial distribution of settlements based on their provision of goods and services. Larger settlements (higher-order) offer more specialized services and have larger market areas. Example: A regional shopping mall vs. a small corner store.9. Concentric-zone model (Burgess)A model depicting urban land use in rings around the CBD, with each ring representing different socioeconomic groups and functions. Example: The zone of transition surrounding the CBD with older housing and industrial land use.10. de facto segregationSegregation that exists in practice, even if not legally mandated. It often results from social and economic factors. Example: Neighborhoods with predominantly one race due to housing patterns and income disparities.11. disamenity zoneThe poorest parts of cities that, in extreme cases, are not connected to regular city services and are controlled by gangs or drug lords.¹Example: Slums located on hazardous land like floodplains or near industrial sites.12. edge cityA relatively large urban area situated on the outskirts of a city, typically along major transportation routes. It contains office parks, shopping malls, and residential areas. Example: Tyson's Corner, Virginia, outside of Washington D.C.13. environmental injusticeThe disproportionate exposure of marginalized communities to environmental hazards and the unequal access to environmental benefits. Example: Locating waste treatment facilities in low-income, minority neighborhoods.14. exurbAn area beyond the suburbs where wealthier people live in lower-density housing and maintain connections to the urban area. Example: Rural communities with large estates and commuter access to a major city.15. field studyResearch conducted in the natural setting to gather data and observe phenomena in real-world contexts. Example: Conducting surveys and mapping land use patterns in a specific urban neighborhood.16. forward capitalA capital city deliberately relocated to a new location for economic or strategic reasons. Example: Brasília, Brazil, moved from Rio de Janeiro to the interior to encourage development.

Vocabulary	Definition/Example/Utilization
17. Galactic city model	Post-industrial city model with a sprawling edge city as a new downtown and interconnected nodes of economic activity. Example: Los Angeles.
18. Gravity model	Predicts interaction between places based on population size and distance. Larger places attract more, closer places have greater interaction. Example: Trade between major cities.
19. Greenbelts	Rings of parkland, agricultural land, or other open space maintained around cities to limit urban sprawl. Example: London's greenbelt.
20. Housing discrimination	Denying housing to individuals based on race, religion, sex, familial status, disability, or national origin. Example: Redlining, blockbusting.
21. Infilling	Development within existing urban areas on vacant or underused land. Example: Building on a vacant lot in a downtown area.
22. Infrastructure	Basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise. Example: Roads, bridges, water supply, sewage systems.
23. Land use	Various ways humans use land, including residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and recreational. Example: Zoning ordinances that designate land use.
24. Latin American city model	Combines elements of radial sectors and concentric zones, includes a CBD, market, elite residential sector, and squatter settlements. Example: São Paulo.
25. Megacities	Cities with a population of over 10 million people. Example: Tokyo, Delhi.
26. Megalopolis	A chain of connected metropolitan areas. Example: BosWash (Boston to Washington D.C.).
27. Metacities	Cities with a population over 20 million people. Example: Tokyo.
28. Mixed land use	Urban planning that blends residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or industrial uses. Example: A building with apartments above shops.
29. Multiple nuclei model (Harris and Ullman)	Cities develop around multiple nodes of activity rather than a single CBD. Example: Los Angeles.
30. Place character	The unique physical and cultural attributes that give a place its identity. Example: The historic architecture of Charleston.
31. Planned city	City built according to a deliberate design. Example: Brasília.
32. Primate city	Largest city in a country that is disproportionately larger than any others in the urban hierarchy. Example: Paris.
33. Qualitative data	Descriptive data that is observed rather than measured. Example: Interviews, observations, descriptions of urban landscapes.
34. Quantitative data	Numerical data that can be statistically analyzed. Example: Population density, income levels, crime rates.
35. Rank-size rule	The nth largest city in a system of cities is 1/n the size of the largest city. Example: If the largest city has 1 million, the 2nd largest has 500,000.

36. Redlining	Discriminatory practice of denying services (e.g., mortgages) to residents of certain areas based on race or ethnicity. Example: Banks refusing loans in predominantly Black neighborhoods.
37. Sector model (Hoyt)	City grows outward from the CBD along transportation corridors, creating wedge-shaped sectors. Example: Industrial sectors radiating from a city center.
38. Site and situation	Site is a place's absolute location, situation is its relative location. Example: Site: Manhattan Island; Situation: New York City's port.
39. Slow-growth cities	Cities that have intentionally implemented strategies to curb population growth and limit urban sprawl. Example: Portland, Oregon.
40. Smart growth policies	Urban planning legislation aimed at curbing sprawl and promoting compact, mixed-use development. Example: Transit-oriented development.
41. Southeast Asian city model	Includes a focal point of a port zone, export-oriented industrial parks, and alien commercial zones. Example: Singapore.
42. Squatter settlement	Informal housing areas that develop spontaneously without legal tenure, often lacking basic services. Example: Favelas in Brazil.
43. Suburbanization	Growth of areas on the fringes of urban areas. Example: Expansion of residential areas around a city.
44. Survey data	Information collected from a sample of individuals through their responses to questions. Example: Census data.
45. Sustainable design initiatives	Urban planning and development strategies aimed at reducing environmental impact. Example: Green building practices.
46. Sustainable urban design	Design of cities with consideration for environmental impact, resource conservation, and social equity. Example: Walkable neighborhoods, green spaces.
47. Transportation-oriented development	Development focused around public transportation hubs, promoting walkability and reducing car dependence. Example: High-density housing near a train station.
48. Urban decentralization	Shift of population and economic activity from central urban areas to suburbs and exurbs. Example: Movement of businesses to edge cities.
49. Urban hierarchy	Ranking of settlements based on size and complexity of functions. Example: Hamlet, village, town, city, metropolis.
50. Urban sprawl	Uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into the surrounding countryside. Example: Low-density residential development on the urban fringe.
51. Urban walkability	Design of urban areas that promotes walking as a mode of transportation. Example: Sidewalks, pedestrian-friendly streets.
52. Urbanization	Increase in the proportion of a population living in urban areas. Example: Global trend of rural to urban migration.
53. World city	Dominant city in the global urban hierarchy, centers of economic, cultural, and political activity. Example: New York, London, Tokyo.
54. Zone of abandonment	Areas within a city that have been deserted or left to decay. Example: Abandoned industrial sites.
55. Zoning	Dividing an area into zones or sections reserved for different purposes such as residence, business, manufacturing, etc. Example: Residential zoning that prohibits industrial activity.