Urban GeographyUrban Geography

• Spatial development of towns/citiesSpatial development of towns/cities

• Variations between citiesVariations between cities

• Variations within citiesVariations within cities

UrbanismUrbanism

• Way of lifeWay of life

• Attitudes/valuesAttitudes/values

• Patterns of behaviorPatterns of behavior

““Oldest” City:Oldest” City: Jericho, Israel • Dates back to 10,000

BC – or earlier!• Went through several

periods of destruction• Many cities in Middle

East, China, Andes, Mexico, also quite old—depends on latest findings

Oldest Continuously Inhabited City

Damascus,Damascus,SyriaSyria

(8,000-10,000 BC)(8,000-10,000 BC)

Architecture and PlaceArchitecture and Place

European Urban HistoryEuropean Urban History

• Greeks (750 – 490 BC)

• Romans (~100 BC – 600 AD)

• Medieval Cities (450 – 1300 AD)

• Mercantile Cities (1400 – present)

• Colonial Cities (1498-1850)

• Transportation Cities (1800 – present)

• Modernism (1950 – present)

Ancient Greece, 750 to 490 BCAncient Greece, 750 to 490 BC

AthensAthens

The Roman Empire (~100 BC to 600 AD)The Roman Empire (~100 BC to 600 AD)

Parthenon

Oracle at Delphi

Classical Classical Architecture Architecture from the from the Greeks and Greeks and RomansRomans

ArchesArchesAndAnd

ColumnsColumns

The Forum (Rome)The Forum (Rome)

The Coliseum (Rome)The Coliseum (Rome)

Roman AqueductRoman Aqueduct(Segovia, Spain)(Segovia, Spain)

Roman Bridge (Salamanca, Spain)Roman Bridge (Salamanca, Spain)

The Medieval City in Europe (450 to 1300)

• Centered on Catholic Church• Defensive /Control structures: walls, turrets• Symbol of power• Cities unable to grow (walled in)

Medieval City LayoutMedieval City Layout• Narrow, twisty streets• Buildings close together• Walled city (high pop density)• Boulevard around wall• Poor live

outside city wall• Located on water source• Metes and Bounds

- Streets drawnfrom point to point

- Not continuous

Vienna, AustriaVienna, Austria

Medieval Cities (Castles)Medieval Cities (Castles)

Toledo, SpainToledo, Spain

Tower of LondonTower of London

Neuschwanstein, GermanyNeuschwanstein, Germany

Quebec City?Quebec City?(only walled city in North America(only walled city in North America

Very Old!)Very Old!)

Gothic ArchitectureGothic Architecture(Began in 12(Began in 12thth Century) Century)

• Often used for churches (Catholic)

• “Flying Buttresses”• Pointed Arches• Huge Stained Glass

Window(s)• Cluster Columns• “Skeletal” looking • Often in shape of cross

from bird’s eye view

Notre Dame (Paris)Notre Dame (Paris)

Westminster Abbey (London)Westminster Abbey (London)

Mercantile Mercantile ((Trade)Trade) Cities Cities(1400’s-1600’s)(1400’s-1600’s)

• Port cities / Major Route Cities (coastal / on river)• Reflective of exploration interests• Many medieval cities / city-states grew due to…

TRADE!TRADE!• Venice, Genoa, Pisa• Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam• Marseilles, Paris, Seville• London, Lisbon, Hamburg, Many others

• Development of centralized trade centers in city• Radial street pattern• Baroque Architecture

Radial Patterned CitiesRadial Patterned CitiesParisParis

Arc de TriompheArc de Triomphe

Paris

• Crazy! Obnoxious!Crazy! Obnoxious!• Straight lines become curvedStraight lines become curved• HIGHLY ornamentedHIGHLY ornamented• Ornate carvings, sculptures, entrywaysOrnate carvings, sculptures, entryways• OftenOften ccoolloorrffuull

Baroque church near

Moscow

Baroque ArchitectureBaroque Architecture

Baroque Baroque Monastery in Monastery in EcuadorEcuador

Venice, ItalyVenice, Italy

Seville, SpainSeville, Spain

St. Peter’s Cathedral, Vatican CitySt. Peter’s Cathedral, Vatican City

Antwerp, BelgiumAntwerp, Belgium

Colonial CityColonial City• A city founded / claimed beyond the existing A city founded / claimed beyond the existing

borders of a colonial power for borders of a colonial power for Three Reasons:Three Reasons:

• Colonization = LandColonization = Land• Commercial = Trade (often a port)Commercial = Trade (often a port)

– Specific resource: coffee, gold, cacao, sugar, etc.Specific resource: coffee, gold, cacao, sugar, etc.

• Administrative = PoliticalAdministrative = Political

Americas, Asia, Africa—usually founded Americas, Asia, Africa—usually founded on coast (ocean)on coast (ocean)

Santo Domingo,Santo Domingo,

Dominican RepublicDominican Republic

Oldest Colonial City in the Americas

Hong KongHong Kong

Owned by the United Owned by the United Kingdom (now Kingdom (now

China) until 1997China) until 1997

New FlagNew Flag Old FlagOld Flag

BostonBoston

• Most Major American CitiesMost Major American Cities• Industrial Revolution:Industrial Revolution:

- Steel Steel - Steam engineSteam engine

Canals Canals RailroadsRailroads (Power) Loom(Power) Loom

Cities all over the world evolved into Cities all over the world evolved into transportation / industrial cities—even if they transportation / industrial cities—even if they were established for other reasonswere established for other reasons

Transportation CityTransportation City(later evolved into Industrial City: ~1800 on)

Erie CanalErie CanalIllinois andIllinois and

Michigan CanalMichigan Canal

• Canals acted like highways• Created direct shipping

routes with major cities- NYC with Great Lakes- Chicago with Gulf of Mexico

U.S. Railroads and CanalsU.S. Railroads and Canals18701870

Chicago = TransportationChicago = Transportation

Grid Pattern Radial PatternGrid Pattern Radial Pattern(U.S.)(U.S.) (Europe) (Europe)

Washington D.C.Washington D.C.Both GridBoth Grid ANDAND Radial Pattern!Radial Pattern!

Reflection of:Reflection of:

• Automobile-based society Automobile-based society • IndustrializationIndustrialization• Increased Urban / Suburban PopulationIncreased Urban / Suburban Population

* Appears in all parts of the world* Appears in all parts of the world

ModernismModernism

Modernist ArchitectureModernist Architecture• “Function over Form” =

FunctionalismFunctionalism• Simple, less adornment• Rejection of past• Local:Local: Horizontal

Orientation (more land, fewer people)

• Urban:Urban: Vertical Orientation (less land, more people)

Tampa, FLTampa, FL

Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio

Modernist Not ModernistNot Modernist

CommunistCommunist Architecture Architecture

• Square-shapedSquare-shaped• No adornmentsNo adornments• FunctionalFunctional• Extremely modernistExtremely modernist

Modernist HomesModernist Homes

• Horizontally Oriented

• Unadorned

• Squarish

• Frank Lloyd Wright-esque

• More suburban than urban

SuburbanizationSuburbanization• Modernist / Function over formModernist / Function over form• City conveniences without the cityCity conveniences without the city• Began after WWII (mass production, cars)Began after WWII (mass production, cars)• Automobile dependent (shopping, Automobile dependent (shopping,

banking, school, etc.)banking, school, etc.)• Led to the decline of the cityLed to the decline of the city• Loss of “neighborhood” / communityLoss of “neighborhood” / community• Loss of private ownership (i.e. “Mom and Loss of private ownership (i.e. “Mom and

Pop shop”) to corporate chainsPop shop”) to corporate chains

Conflict:Conflict:Urban Sprawl vs. the EnvironmentUrban Sprawl vs. the Environment

• Encroachment into WildernessEncroachment into Wilderness- Animal conflicts- Plants conflicts

• Environmental ImpactsEnvironmental Impacts- Water Pollution / Depletion

Overwatering of land (Las Vegas grass ban) Golf courses: chemicals Depletion of aquifers Wetland / natural habitat destruction

- Smog / Pollutants from vehicle emissions- Lack of exercise (car)

The American City (Models)The American City (Models)Three Major ModelsThree Major Models

• Sector Model• Concentric Ring Model• Multiple Nuclei Model

Three Major Districts in a CityThree Major Districts in a City

• CBD (Central Business District)• Warehouse (Industrial) District• Residential Districts

Sector ModelSector Model• Sectors / population built along Sectors / population built along

transportationtransportation lines (rail, river, road)

Detroit:Population along railwaysPopulation along railways

CBD

• Population “rings” Population “rings” expand throughout expand throughout time (newest time (newest residential residential neighborhoods are neighborhoods are furthest out)furthest out)

• New neighborhoods New neighborhoods may precede may precede transportation transportation routesroutes

• Expands “equally” Expands “equally” in all directionsin all directions

Concentric Ring ModelConcentric Ring Model

ChicagoChicago

CBD

Multiple Nuclei ModelMultiple Nuclei Model

• No CBD

• Many smaller business districts scattered throughout city

LosLos AngelesAngeles

DowntownDowntown

Cities of the WorldCities of the World

Urban GrowthUrban Growth• Although Tokyo is the largest city in the world

today, the fastest growing “megacities”“megacities” in the world are in the periphery or semi-periphery– Bombay, IndiaBombay, India– Lagos, NigeriaLagos, Nigeria– DubaiDubai– Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaKuala Lumpur, Malaysia– Sao Paolo, BrazilSao Paolo, Brazil– Mexico City, MexicoMexico City, Mexico

Bombay, IndiaBombay, India

xxxxxx

Number of CoreCities in Top 30

1950 211980 112010 5

World Urban DwellersWorld Urban Dwellers

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1800 1900 1997 2005

% Urban dwellers

Urban Percentage of PopulationUrban Percentage of Population

Urban Growth RatesUrban Growth Rates

4/5 growth in Periphery; 50% under poverty line

Primate CitiesPrimate Cities• Many of the world’s largest cities are Primate Cities• Center of government (capital), culture, economy—

EVERYTHING!• MUCH larger than any other city within the country

Primate City Pop #2 City PopLondon 7.6 Birmingham 2.3Paris 9.6 Marseilles .8Vienna 2.0 Graz .3Mexico City 18.1 Guadalajara 4.6Jakarta 9.8 Surabaya 3.0Tokyo 28.0 Yokohama 3.5

Gateway CityGateway City

El Paso El Paso (U.S-Mexico)(U.S-Mexico)Buffalo Buffalo (U.S.-Canada)(U.S.-Canada)Hong Kong Hong Kong (China-World)(China-World)Tangier Tangier (Africa-Europe)(Africa-Europe)St. PetersburgSt. Petersburg(Russia-Rest of Europe)(Russia-Rest of Europe)

Link (door) to another Link (door) to another country or region country or region

because of locationbecause of location

““World” CitiesWorld” Cities• Disproportionate share of global, cultural, and financial

influence

• “Where world’s business is done”

• Centers of world’s three largest economies:U.S., Europe, Asia

World CitiesWorld Cities

3 Centers in Tripolar Economy:New York, London, Tokyo