URBAN GEOGRAPHY

Chapter 4, Section 4

Growth of Urban Areas

-An urban geographer studies how people use space in cities.

-cities - areas with large populations and are centers of business and culture

-suburbs - built-up area around the central city; mostly residential

-metropolitan area - the city and its suburbs; examples: NYC, D.C., Baltimore(B-more)

House in the Burbs…

-suburb area

Metro

-metropolitan – city plus suburbs

Metamorphosis of a City

Urbanization is the dramatic rise in the number of cities and the changes in lifestyle.

How might urbanization affect an area, a society, a culture, a way of life? What factors change?

Is urbanization a good or bad thing? Why? Or, does it have advantages and disadvantages?

Gentrification…

Movement of more affluent individuals into a lower-class area.

What is the motivation for this?How does it affect the people living

there?Check out this video about Harlem, NY:

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=4yuWVwX9WV0

http://current.com/items/76306502_evicted_in_harlem

Check out this video about gentrification in NY: http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=m2onQY0m0ig

City Locations

allow good transportation (river, lake, coast)

Natural resources = Sacremento and goldWaterways = Chicago and Great LakesEconomic activity = Pittsburgh and ironMilitary, cultural, educational reasons

Land Use in a City

Residential: single-family housing, apartment buildings, etc…

Industrial: areas reserved for manufacturing goodsCommercial: areas used for private business and

buying and selling of retailCBD--central business district- core of a city;

business offices and storesTypically, as you move away from CBD, lower land

value and less expensive housing

Concentric Zone Model

Core: CBDCircular model --bull’s-eyeLower income housing closer to CBDWhat city follows this model?

Sector Model

CBD in coreActivities in wedges or sectors (usually follow

transportation lines)Residences in one area, some inter-mixture,

but not much

Multiple Nuclei Model

Nuclei or districts found throughout entire urban area

CBD may not be circularDistricts and sectors differ in size according

to demand

Understanding the three models

How are these models different? The same?What general concepts of an “urban” area

change or stay the same? What happens to business activity in each?

Residences?Which model does Dakar most closely

follow?

Functions of Cities

Retail, entertainment, transportation, business, education, government, manufacturing, wholesaling, residential, recreation, religious

Manhattan = over 70 museums, subway system

Essential=water supply, mass transportation

Why are these elements essential?Use real-life cities to explain why…