Urban Geography AP HuG

Mental map of your city Draw a mental map of the neighborhood/city you live in. Include places you go frequently, landmarks you use to navigate, etc.

Relating to characteristic of a city or town Urban Relating to characteristic of a city or town

Studying the geographic spaces of cities Urban Geography Studying the geographic spaces of cities

What is a city

Dense Concentration of People 6 Characteristics Dense Concentration of People Functional Complexity – support sizeable # of people Centers of institutional power – government, business, culture

6 Characteristics 4. Dynamic, human created environment with complex patterns of land use Cities are linked via trade, transport, communication to other places Full of contradictions – opportunity and hope but also poverty & despair

Influences on Urban Growth Location Industrialization & globalization Demographic trends Economic growth promoting policies Improved services

US Census Bureau definition of an urban area Must have a population of at least 2,500 and a population density of at least 1,000 per square mile

Metropolitan area Other City Terms At least 50,000+ people Includes a population center and adjacent zones connected to the city

Megalopolis/Conurbation Massive urban complex Merging of several metropolitan areas Best Example – Boston-Washington DC

Emerging Megalopolises in US

Megacity City of 10 million or more

More than twice the size of the next largest city Primate City Island of growth Uneven development Attracts people Often the capital More than twice the size of the next largest city

examples London (7 million) 2nd largest – Birmingham 992,000 Mexico City (8.6 million ) 2nd Guadalajara 1.6 million Bangkok (7.5 million) next largest is Samut Prakan – 388,920

Principal center of global economic &/or cultural power Divided into World City Principal center of global economic &/or cultural power Divided into Alpha – most dominance Beta Gamma

Key Indicators of World Cities See handout for indicators

New York Milan Chicago Frankfurt Los Angeles Singapore London Alpha cities New York Milan Chicago Frankfurt Los Angeles Singapore London Hong Kong Paris Tokyo

Toronto Brussels San Francisco Zurich Mexico City Moscow Sao Paulo Beta Toronto Brussels San Francisco Zurich Mexico City Moscow Sao Paulo Seoul Madrid Sydney

Washington DC Amsterdam Beijing Dallas Taipei Caracas Manila Rome Gamma – only some Washington DC Amsterdam Beijing Dallas Taipei Caracas Manila Rome Istanbul Johannesburg

Primate Cities & World cities Compare and contrast

City Land Use

3 basic zones Residential Commercial Industrial

CBD – Central Business District Focal point of a city Commercial, office, retail and cultural center of the city Center point for transportation networks Most expensive land Loop in chicago

Bid Rent Curve

Bid Rent Curve

City Models

Eras of Transportation that change urban morphology #1 – Walking / Horse cart (1800-1890) Compact centralized cities 30-45 minute walk to work Elite lived on the edges of city

Eras of Transportation that change urban morphology #2 – Electric Street Car Era 1890-1920 Cities grew along the rail lines Middle class starts to move to edges of city

Eras of Transportation that change urban morphology #3 – Recreational Auto Era (1920-45) Moving to suburbs

Eras of Transportation that change urban morphology #4 – Freeway Era 1945-now Radial roads around city – decrease travel time Development near exits

Burgess Concentric Zone Model

Concentric zone cont Based on Chicago Sorts social groups

Center – CBD Factory Working class homes Middle class homes High class

Hoyt Sector Model

Based on Rail & River Transportation

Multiple Nuclei Model – Harris & Ullman

Cities have multiple core (nuclei) – harbor, university area, government area – not just a CBD

Vance – Urban Realms Model

Vance – Urban Realms Model Based on San Francisco area Suburbs became self-sufficient centers Recognizes the importance of the automobile Suburbs are edge cities

European Cities

European Cities Medieval characteristics City wall Historic core Irregular street patterns

Medieval characteristics European Cities Medieval characteristics Low skyline Pedestrian/bicycle friendly Private/personal transportation is expensive

Latin America City Structure

Latin America Influenced by conquistadors Modern issues Economic status

Latin America

Market center Long avenue from center Richest usually live along that avenue Edge of cities squatter settlements

Favela in Brazil

Mexico city

Subsaharan Africa City Model

Subsaharan City Model

Sub-Saharan City Model Mix of traditional city and European colonial city 2 CBDs with adjoining market

SE Asian City MOdel

Mix of colonial and local style Built off a port No one CBD – those activities happen in several areas