UNIT 4. CITIES

1.1. THE CONCEPT OF A CITY

Some people live in large settlements and others live in smaller settlements. This form of distribution is called human settlement. We can distinguish between two forms of settlement: rural and urban.

The rural settlement (village or hamlet). It has a lower number of inhabitants and a low concentration of people. Its structure is characteristics by low buildings. The economic activities of the primary sector (to obtained natural

resources) are predominant. The way of life of its inhabitants is characteristics by close and family-

orientated social behavior, with a strong sense of belonging to a community.

The urban settlement (city or town). They have a large number of inhabitants Its structure is characteristics by tall buildings that are very close

together. The main economic activities of cities are related to secondary and

services sector (commerce, education, banking…). The way of life is characteristic by less intense relationships.

1. URBAN AREAS

Many activities, known as functions, take place in urban areas. Cities are, in general, multifunctional spaces and many of these activities are interrelated. The main functions of the city are:

Residential. Although the residential function is common to all cities, it is the predominant function in some urban settlement, such as satellite cities or dormitory towns. These are urban settlement on the periphery of major cities, inhabited by people who travel to work in the city every day. Dormitory towns rely on transport networks that communicate them with a major city.

Commercial. Comercial cities are also centres of exchange for all types of products and services. Transports networks (land, air and sea) and the flow of money from banks and multinational companies converge in these cities. Example: the city of Shanghai (China), whose port is the most important one in the world.

Industrial. This function is helped by the availability of labour and the communication network. Nowadays, the industrial areas are being moved to industrial estates on the outskirts of the city.

Tourist. This function is related to a rich historical or artistic heritage (Rome or Athens), to natural attractions (Cancun) or to leisure (Las Vegas or Monaco).

Political and administrative. Some cities are home to the headquarters of the main political bodies (Madrid, Brussels…). They are usually the state capitals, carrying out administrative functions that affect the entire country.

Cultural and religious. This function takes place in most cities, as they have museums, universities or spaces for cultural leisure activities, such as cinemas and theatres (Bologna, Mecca, Jerusalem…).

1.2. THE FUNCTIONS OF THE CITY

1.3. THE MORPHOLOGY OF CITIES

The morphology of a city refers to the factors that influence its external form. The distribution of urban elements, such as streets, buildings and green spaces, generates an urban plan, which is the graphical representation of the structure of a city. We can distingue different types of urban plans:

Grid, Linear, Radial, Irregular

GRID (also known as chequerboard or orthogonal plan): in this type of urban planning, the streets intersect at right angles and the space is divided into blocks. For example: New York, Madrid (barrio de Salamanca) Turin, Lima, Montevideo and Barcelona.

Linear: the city is organised according to a main road, and the buildings and public spaces are distributed around it.For example, Castrillo de los Polvazares (León) or Burgo de Ranero.

Radial: in a radial plan, we can distinguish the central core form which several roads branch out. These roads are intersected by others streets that form concentric rings. For example, Palmanova (Italy) or Camberra.

Irregular: this type of plan is caused by a lack of planning. It is characteristic by a very complex and disorderly network of streets. For example, Venecia or Toledo.

1.4. URBAN STRUCTURE

It refers to the internal organization of space in a city. We can differentiate:

The city centre: where the main business, financial and commercial areas are found. In older cities, it usually coincides with the old town, which is also where most of the historic monuments are located. The residential function is also important. In modern times, residential areas have increased due to the construction of new neighborhoods with large green areas.

Peri-urban areas: areas around the centre. It is mainly characterised by its residential function. In many cities, this area has many streets, parks and squares.

Outskirts: is the outer area of the city. It emerged more recently as a result of the city´s expansion. The majority of the population lives on the outskirts. Industrial areas and commercial areas have also appeared over recent years.

To work this section, YOU WILL HAVE TO DO A PROJECT OR CLASS WORK, TITLED “URBANISATION”, WHICH WILL HAVE TO CONTAIN THE NEXT

PARTS:

1. A Cover: the title, the author and, if you want, an image.2. An Index3. An Explanation of the EVOLUTION OF THE CITY OVER TIME.4. An Explanation of the CITY AND ITS TERRITORY. 5. A Conclusion.

IMPORTANT: THIS PART OF THE UNIT WILL NOT BE PART OF THE EXAM. BUT THE MARK OF THE REPORT WILL BE PART OF THE EXAM MARK.

You have to be creative, for instance, including pictures. Book information (p. 50, 51, 52) is very clear, so I recommend you to use

it. DELIVERY DATE: 24/11/2016

2. URBANISATION

The growth of cities creates a large number of disadvantages and urban problems that affect their population. On the other hand, cities also offer a world of opportunities that attract a large number of inhabitants.

We can talk about advantages and disadvantages of urban life.

3. LIFE IN URBAN AREAS

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGESA lot of educational and cultural

activitiesProblems with traffic and parking

Centres of trade In poor countries, many inhabitants do not have a guaranteed supply of

drinking water and energyHealthcare are more accessible Large amounts of solid waste and

wastewaterMore extensive labour market Pollution Wide range of leisure options Live in depressed areas or build slums

Different backgrounds and cultures come together

Problems with integration different social classes

The end