STUDY TERMS Unit 6 Urban Patterns and Processes TERMS

KNOW –Define the following terms in your own words, offering specific examples where possible. DUE DAY 3

TERM Real World Example Paraphrased Definitions

annexation Chicago's annexation The process of legally adding land area to a city,
of surrounding areas in often expanding its boundaries.
the 19th century.
CBD
New York City’s Midtown The central commercial and economic hub of a city, typically
Manhattan. characterized by high-rise buildings, major businesses, and dense
urban activity.

concentric zone model Chicago in the early A city model where urban development spreads
20th century. outward in rings from a central core.
conurbation The Randstad in the A region comprising a number of cities, towns, and
Netherlands. urban areas that have grown together.
density gradient Decreasing population The gradual variation in population density over an
density as one moves area, typically declining outward from a city center.
outward from New York
City.
edge city Tysons Corner, A large urban area on the outskirts of a city, typically
Virginia. with extensive office and retail space.
entrepôt Singapore as a major A port or city where goods are imported, stored, and
global trade hub. exported without customs duties.
filtering (filter process) Older homes in Detroit A process in which housing is gradually passed down
being subdivided into from wealthier to lower-income residents over time.
rental units.
galactic city Los Angeles' sprawling A city model with a decentralized urban layout,
urban structure. featuring multiple business districts and suburban
areas.
gentrification Brooklyn, New York The process where wealthier individuals move into
experiencing poorer neighborhoods, leading to rising property
redevelopment and values and displacement of lower-income residents.
rising property values.
greenbelts The Green Belt around Areas of undeveloped, protected land surrounding
London, UK. urban areas to limit sprawl.
Latin American city model
Mexico City following a spine A model depicting Latin American cities with a central business district
structure. and a commercial spine extending outward, often surrounded by poorer
housing at the periphery.

megalopolis The BosWash corridor A continuous urban region comprising multiple large
in the U.S. cities that have merged into a single economic area.
MSA/CMSA
New York-Newark-Jersey City A metropolitan statistical area (MSA) represents a large urbanized
MSA. region with strong economic and social ties, while a CMSA includes
multiple interconnected MSAs forming an even larger urban complex.

multiple nuclei model Los Angeles with its A city model that suggests urban areas develop
multiple urban centers. around multiple hubs of activity rather than a single
central core.
new urbanism Seaside, Florida, a An urban planning movement promoting walkable
planned walkable neighborhoods, mixed-use development, and
community. sustainability.
peripheral model Washington D.C. and A model where urban development occurs around
its surrounding the periphery of a city, often forming ring roads or
beltway. beltways.
public housing project Pruitt-Igoe housing Government-funded housing developments aimed at
complex in St. Louis. providing affordable housing to low-income residents.
redlining Historical racial The discriminatory practice of denying financial
discrimination in services to certain neighborhoods based on racial or
housing loans in economic factors.
Chicago.
scattered site Scattered-site housing A housing policy where low-income housing is
in Minneapolis. distributed throughout a city rather than concentrated
in one area.
squatter settlement Dharavi slum in An area where people build informal housing without
Mumbai. legal ownership, often lacking basic services.
sector model Chicago’s development A city model that proposes urban areas grow in
along transportation sectors along major transportation routes rather than
routes. concentric rings.
suburb Levittown, New York. A residential area on the outskirts of a city, often
featuring single-family homes and lower population
density.
sprawl Phoenix, Arizona, The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into
experiencing rapid low- surrounding rural land, often leading to inefficiency
density expansion. and environmental concerns.
underclass Long-term poverty in A group in society with limited access to resources
inner-city and opportunities, often trapped in cycles of poverty.
neighborhoods.
urban realms model San Francisco’s A city model where a metropolitan area consists of
multiple self-sufficient multiple semi-independent regions, each functioning
suburban centers. as its own urban center.
urban renewal The redevelopment of The process of revitalizing and redeveloping
downtown Detroit. deteriorated urban areas to improve infrastructure
and attract investment.
world city London, a major global A city that plays a key role in the global economy and
financial hub. international affairs due to its economic, political, and
cultural influence.
zone in transition Areas around A part of a city undergoing change, often between
downtown Chicago industrial and residential use, subject to economic
experiencing and social shifts.
redevelopment.
zoning New York City’s zoning The practice of designating areas within a city for
laws regulating building specific types of development, such as residential,
use. commercial, or industrial.
UNIT 7 URBAN GEOGRAPHY STUDY QUESTIONS
✔ Describe the problems of “defining” a city and some of the potential solutions.

Defining a city is challenging due to variations in size, function, and administrative boundaries, leading to inconsistencies
in classification. Solutions include using standardized criteria like population thresholds, economic activity, and
metropolitan influence to create more precise definitions.

✔ Contrast European and North American cities in terms of

● CBD functions and landscape - European CBDs are often historic, mixed-use, and pedestrian-friendly,
whereas North American CBDs are dominated by skyscrapers and commercial offices.

● Suburbs and suburban growth patterns (greenbelts vs. sprawl): European cities often use greenbelts to limit
urban expansion, while North American cities experience uncontrolled suburban sprawl

✔ Explain the growth of suburbs in terms of

● Social and cultural views, past and present. - Suburbs were historically seen as symbols of wealth and
stability, but today, they are more diverse and accessible due to economic shifts.

● Developments in transportation. - Highways, automobiles, and public transit have enabled suburban
expansion by improving connectivity to urban centers.

✔ Differentiate between models of internal city structure:

● Concentric zone (Burgess model) - Cities grow in rings with the CBD at the center, surrounded by transitional
zones and residential areas.

● Sector model (Hoyt model) - Urban growth follows transportation routes, forming wedge-shaped sectors.

● Multiple nuclei model (Harris and Ullman) - Cities develop around multiple activity centers instead of a single
core.

● Other models from outside North America - Latin American cities follow the “spine model,” where wealthier
areas extend outward from the CBD along commercial corridors.

✔ Describe the elements and their relationships in the post-modern city in terms of the following:
 • Galactic city: A decentralized urban structure with multiple business hubs instead of a single dominant
CBD.

• Edge city: Suburban centers with their own economic and commercial functions, such as Tysons Corner,
VA.

• Suburbanization of CBD functions: Offices, retail, and business services shifting from traditional
downtown areas to suburban locations.

• New Urbanism: A planning movement promoting walkable neighborhoods, mixed-use development, and
sustainable design.

✔ Describe a typical city in an LDC and

● Explain the influence of development on it. - Cities in LDCs often have informal settlements, a mix of colonial
and modern infrastructure, and significant economic disparities due to rapid urbanization and limited
planning.

● Contrast housing patterns with MDCs. - LDCs have informal housing (slums and squatter settlements), while
MDCs have planned residential zones, suburban development, and better infrastructure.

✔ List and evaluate the problems of the inner-cities vs. suburbs vs. squatter settlements.
Q

Inner - Poverty, crime, aging infrastructure, and economic decline.

Suburbs - Traffic congestion, environmental impact, and socioeconomic segregation.
Squatter - Lack of basic services, poor living conditions, and legal insecurity.