Urban Geography
Urban The built-up, non-rural area and its
population Includes recently developed suburbs Better picture of a metro area than just
the political city boundary
Urban Geography
Urbanization’s Cost in China
Rank-Size Rule Urban hierarchy True in some regions
Largest city
2nd Larges
t
3rd Large
st
1/2
1/3
12 million
6 million
4 million
Primate City In some regions… A large and
exceptionally influential city
The next largest city is much smaller and with much less influence
Often a result of… ta-da!... Colonialism!
Examples of Primate Cities
Mexico City, Mexico Manila, Philippines London Paris
Central Place Theory
Walter Christaller – 1920s Explains the location patterns of urban
areas Similar to…???
Weber’s Least Cost Theory for
manufacturing and industry
Von Thunen’s model of rural agricultural land
use
Quick Draw!
Place a circle on your paper about the size of a quarter – the center of this circle is your neighborhood and the surrounding part in West Linn
Draw a medium-sized circle around “West Linn” – this is the economic area connected to West Linn, like Clackamas and Bridgeport
Draw three more medium circles further out and not connected to West Linn
Chritsaller’s Central Place Theory
Economic relationships between cities and their hinterlands (areas further away)
Christaller’s assumptions:› People will purchase goods from the
closest place› When demand for a good is high, it will be
offered in close proximity to the population
Chritsaller’s Central Place Theory
Areas of a central place are ranked by size:› Hamlet› Village› Town› City› Regional Capital
Chritsaller’s Central Place Theory
Low-order goods – things that are replenished frequently (like food)› Purchased often› Smaller businesses can survive selling low-
order goods in smaller towns outside large city
Chritsaller’s Central Place Theory
High-order goods – specialized items bought less frequently (cars, furniture, fine jewelry)› Business often cannot survive in smaller towns› Must locate in a big city with more people to buy
Chritsaller’s Central Place Theory
Each of these central places are located at the point where equilateral triangles connect
Creates equidistant connections to high-order goods
Creates a system of centers of various sizes
Each center will supply particular types of goods
Central Place Theory
Threshold – the minimum number of people required to support a business
Range – the travel time it takes a consumer to reach the business
Central Place Theory: Implications
The larger the settlements are in size, the fewer in number they will be› there are many small villages, but few
large cities.
Central Place Theory: Implications
The larger the settlements, the greater the distance between them› villages are usually found close together,
while cities are spaced much further apart.
Central Place Theory: Implications
As a settlement increases in size, the range and number of its functions will increase
Central Place Theory: Implications
As a settlement increases in size, the number of higher-order services will also increase
Urban Hierarchy
Mid-sized citiesSome high-order goods, fewer, further apart
Small cities, towns, villagesLow-order goods, small, a lot of them, close together
Central Place
A city or town that provides goods and services to the surrounding population
People travel to a central place for goods and services
Central Place Function
A good or service that a central place provides
Market Area
The area of consumers for a particular good or service
people travel from a market area
Central Place Theory
Geographic model and location patterns of central places that sell goods and services to hexagonal-shaped market areas
Vocab Review
Central Place Theory High-order and Low-order goods Central place Market area Central place function Threshold Range
Central Place TheoryFarmer’s shopping preferences
in southwest Iowa
Food
Hospitals
Legal services
Write an explanation of why we see different patterns in these maps. Use the following terms in your answer:
•Central place theory•Central place•Market area•Threshold•Range•High-order goods•Low-order goods
Central Place Theory:Is it obsolete?
Many new technologies since the 1920s› Interstate highway system› Internet› Changes in retail markets (big box stores)
Central Place Theory:Case Study
Sun Belt phenomenon› Millions of Americans have migrated south
over the past 4o years
Apply Central Place Theory:
What would happen to some southern cities?
Know the Concepts
Why do cities and towns form where they do?
Resource node – close to resources
Transport node – at an intersection of lines of transportation
Gold
Types of cities
Megacity or Supercity – very large city.
Megalopolis – Several large supercities that have merged to form a very large urban region.
World city (global city) – serve an important node in global economic system
Megalopolis Examples
Megalopolis Examples
“Blue Banana” – the economic core of the European Union
Types of cities
World city (global city) – serve an important node in global economic system
Alpha++ cities are vastly more integrated with the global economy than any other cities.
Alpha+ cities complement Alpha++ cities by linking them to major economic regions.
World Cities
Cate gory Cities
Al pha++• London• New York City
Al pha+
• Hong Kong• Paris•Singapore• Shanghai• Tokyo• Beijing• Sydney• Dubai
Megacity Examples
A total population of more than 10 million› Tokyo, Japan› Seoul, South Korea› Mumbai, India› New York› Los Angeles
Urban Sprawl
Unrestricted growth of urban areas in many U.S. cities
Los Angeles
Urban Sprawl
Urban Sprawl
Phoenix
Las Vegas urbanization
U.S. Dept of Interior:These progressive geo-referenced databases of urban land use change are developed by merging information from historic maps, census statistics, commerce records, remotely sensed data, and digital land use data.
Suburbanization in America Movement to outer edges of cities Has been going on since the end of
WWII
Things that supported suburbanization:• Automobiles• 40 hour work week• Baby boom after the war
created a high demand for family housing
• Federal home loans like the G.I. Bill
Urban Sprawl in America:The hungry monster
Key Statistics Of Urban Sprawl
Between 1982 and 1997 America converted approximately 25 million acres (39,000 square miles) of rural land to developed land
Urban Sprawl in America:The hungry monster
Key Statistics Of Urban Sprawl Over a 20-year period (1970-1990), the
100 largest Urbanized Areas in the United States sprawled an additional 14,545 square miles.
That’s more than 9 million acres of › natural habitats, › farmland› and other rural space› covered over by the asphalt, buildings and sub-
divisions of suburbia.
Urban Sprawl
Megalopolis of northeastern United States
Conurbation› A region of several large cities,
towns and suburbs merged to form one large urban area
Characteristics of Urban Sprawl
Conversion of agricultural land to residential
Characteristics of Urban Sprawl
Single-use zoning› Separate areas for residential, retail,
industrial
Characteristics of Urban Sprawl
Low-density zoning› Houses with big lawns› One-story commercial buildings with spaces in
between
Characteristics of Urban Sprawl
Automobile dependency› Little or no public
transportation› Fewer sidewalks
because people don’t walk to stores and other places
More Sprawl = More Cars
Characteristics of Urban Sprawl
Job sprawl› Businesses relocate to the suburbs because of
more affordable low-density areas
Characteristics of Urban Sprawl
Types of development› Housing
developments› Strip malls› Shopping malls› Fast food chains
Negative Impact of Urban Sprawl
Environmental impact Because of…???
Negative Impact of Urban Sprawl
Human health impact Because of…???
Negative Impact of Urban Sprawl
Decreased social capital Because of…???
Negative Impact of Urban Sprawl
Spatial mismatch – economic inequality Because of…???
Functional Zones
The purpose of a certain area of a city Examples:
› CBD (central business district)› Industrial Zone
Central City The urban area that is not suburban
Models of North American Cities
Concentric Zone ModelBurgess
Chicago in the 1920sUrban zones grow around the
CBD
Sector Model
HoytZones grow outward from the
core
Multiple Nuclei Model
Harris & UllmanAs zones expand, the CBD loses its dominant position
New centers develop
Multiple Nuclei Model
Harris & UllmanAs zones expand, the CBD loses its dominant position
New centers develop
Edge City Large suburb outside the CBD that
develops its own economic core› Large shopping center› Industrial/Business park› Office complexes› Hotels› Entertainment
Loose Definition of Edge City
Is perceived by the population as one place.
Has more jobs than bedrooms. Was nothing like a "city" as recently as
30 years ago. Then it was just bedrooms, if not cow pastures.
“Bedroom Community” – Young suburb with mainly residential housing
Examples of Edge Cities
Examples of Edge Cities
Galactic City Model
Edge cities that are connected each other and the core by highways or freeways
How do cities respond to urban growth?
Case Study: Portland Urban growth boundary
› Controls urban expansion onto farm and forestry land (sprawl)
› Under Oregon law, each city or metropolitan area has an urban growth boundary that separates urban land from rural use.
› The boundary controls urban expansion onto farm and forest lands.
Case Study: Portland Urban growth boundary
› Keeps urban core vital› Because of limited land for new
developments, businesses are motivated to use current buildings instead of leaving them empty
Case Study: Portland Urban growth boundary
› Helps businesses and local governments plan for infrastructure
› Since cities and towns know that outlying farm lands cannot be developed, they can plan for roads and utilities more effectively within the core
Case Study: Portland Urban growth boundary
› Encourages more efficient development and use of infrastructure
› Instead of putting money and time into creating more and more roads leaving the core, local governments can put resources into making current roads and services more effective.
Case Study: Portland Urban growth boundary
› Encourages long-term planning› Portland’s urban growth plan is defined
through 2040.
Case Study: Portland Urban growth boundary
› Benefits of Portland’s 2040 Growth Concept: Promotes efficient land use by directing most
development to existing urban centers Promotes a balanced transportation system
—biking, walking, public transit, and driving Builds complete communities by providing
shopping and jobs near where people live