Urban Change
What is urbanisation?
The increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas compared to rural areas.
What is a ‘mixed-use development’?
An urban area where residential, commercial, cultural, and industrial functions coexist in the same space.
Define gentrification.
The process where wealthier individuals move into a previously lower-income area, increasing property values and displacing original residents.
What is a postmodern city?
A city with diverse architectural styles, fragmented urban planning, and global influences, often focusing on consumerism.
Name one city that has undergone significant regeneration.
Modernist: Functional, structured, and focused on social needs. Postmodernist: Fragmented, diverse, and influenced by global trends.
Name two factors driving rural-to-urban migration.
Push factors: Poverty, lack of jobs, conflict. Pull factors: Employment, healthcare, better quality of life.
Define ‘cultural and heritage quarters’ and give an example.
Areas that preserve cultural history while boosting tourism and the local economy. Example: Cardiff Bay.
Name one positive and one negative impact of gentrification.
Positive: Increased investment in infrastructure and services. Negative: Displacement of low-income residents.
Name one architectural characteristic of postmodernism.
Use of symbolic architecture, historical references, or a mix of different styles. Example: Las Vegas Strip.
What makes Tysons Corner an example of an edge city?
It evolved from a small retail hub into a major corporate center with office spaces, shopping malls, and transport links.
Define ‘suburbanization’ and provide an example.
The outward spread of urban areas into the surrounding countryside, often due to increased car ownership. Example: The growth of Milton Keynes in the UK.
What are ‘fortress developments’?
Gated communities or high-security urban spaces designed to prevent crime. Example: Gated estates in Johannesburg.
What role does regeneration play in reducing urban inequality?
Improves infrastructure, creates jobs, and enhances living conditions in deprived areas, helping reduce poverty and social exclusion.
Why is Las Vegas considered a postmodern city?
It features themed architecture, a service-based economy, fragmented planning, and reliance on tourism and entertainment.
How did Blade Runner portray a postmodern urban crisis?
Depicted a fragmented, dystopian city with high-tech but decayed urban landscapes, extreme social division, and global influences.
Explain the concept of ‘edge cities’ with an example.
Large commercial and business hubs on the outskirts of major cities, often near transport routes. Example: Tysons Corner, Virginia.
Explain how Cardiff Bay was regenerated.
A waterfront redevelopment with cultural attractions, improved transport, and mixed-use spaces, boosting tourism and the local economy.
Explain why Oxford is one of the least affordable UK cities.
High housing demand, limited land availability, rising property prices, and the presence of a wealthy student population.
How does consumerism shape postmodern urban areas? ensure sustainable urban regeneration?
Shopping malls, entertainment districts, and branding of spaces make cities more commercialized and tourist-driven.
What urban policies shaped Las Vegas’ development?
Loose zoning laws, heavy private investment, reliance on tourism, and weak government oversight contributed to its growth.
How does globalization impact urban structure?
Leads to the development of global cities, increased foreign investment, expansion of multinational corporations, and economic polarization.
How do shopping malls impact urban form?
Encourage suburban expansion, increase car dependency, reduce foot traffic in traditional shopping districts, and create edge cities.
How can cities ensure sustainable urban regeneration?
Mixed-income housing, affordable transport, community involvement, and environmental sustainability (e.g., green spaces).
Compare modernist and postmodernist urban planning.
Modernist: Functional, structured, and focused on social needs. Postmodernist: Fragmented, diverse, and influenced by global trends.
Discuss the impact of planning regulations on urban inequality.
Strict zoning can lead to segregation, while mixed-use planning can promote inclusivity and economic diversity.