Urbanisation and the growth of Mega Cities

Shanghai – pop 18 million 2010

TO BE MEGA-CITIES IN 2015 Country Urban agglomeration 1950 1975 2000 2015 Japan............................ Tokyo 6 920 19 771 26 444 27 190 Bangladesh .................. Dhaka 417 2 173 12 519 22 766India ............................ Mumbai (Bombay) 2 981 7 347 16 086 22 577Brazil........................... São Paulo 2 528 10 333 17 962 21 229India ............................ Delhi 1 391 4 426 12 441 20 884Mexico......................... Mexico City 2 883 10 691 18 066 20 434 United States ............... New York 12 339 15 880 16 732 17 944Indonesia ..................... Jakarta 1 452 4 814 11 018 17 268India ............................ Calcutta 4 446 7 888 13 058 16 747Pakistan ....................... Karachi 1 028 3 990 10 032 16 197Nigeria......................... Lagos 288 1 890 8 665 15 966 United States ............... Los Angeles 4 046 8 926 13 213 14 494China ........................... Shanghai 5 333 11 443 12 887 13 598 Argentina..................... Buenos Aires 5 042 9 144 12 024 13 185Philippines................... Metro Manila 1 544 5 000 9 950 12 579 China ........................... Beijing 3 913 8 545 10 839 11 671Brazil........................... Rio de Janeiro 2 965 7 963 10 652 11 543Egypt ........................... Cairo 2 410 6 079 9 462 11 531Turkey ......................... Istanbul 1 077 3 601 8 953 11 362Japan............................ Osaka 4 147 9 844 11 013 11 013China ........................... Tianjin 2 374 6 160 9 156 10 319

Megacities are often primate citiesPrimate cities (at least double the pop of the second largest city in the country) are typical of many LEDCs and NICs. The city dominates the country’s urban system and economy. Advantages and disadvantages of primate cities?

List of Primate Cities

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Two_divided_by_love

Sustainable city• Maintain population, particularly economically

active people. Develop human resources.• Economic growth. • Infrastructure and urban services.• Quality of life.• Environmental impact. Ecological footprint.• Circular metabolism.• Green design and architecture.• Energy efficiencies. Carbon neutral city. (Masdar)

What do we use land for?

• RICEPOTS!• Housing• Shopping• Industry• Commerce• Businesses• Recreation

• And Many More!

Urban Land Use Model – burgess

•The Model above is a typical Land Use model. What are zones A, B, C and D? Why?

• A – the centre, known as the Central Business District (CBD). Shops, offices, banks and main services are found here.

• B – the Inner City area, older housing (19th Century). Today this is more modernised.

• C – the Suburbs, mostly house built in the 1920s or 1930s. People still wanted to live near the centre for work but no more room.

• D – the Edge of City, often more leafy areas. It has been common in recent times for shops and industry to move here to reduce congestion in the city, and for the cheaper land and better accessibility.

A – THE CBD

A – THE CBDo High cost of lando High-Order shops, public buildings, entertainment etc.o Often divided into districts eg. Entertainment areao Also can be ‘zoned vertically’ – ground floor shops,

first floor offices etc; cheaper rento Much traffic in certain areaso Usually the oldest and tallest buildingso Low population density normallyo Mostly younger people without families

B – INNER CITY – OLDER HOUSING

B – INNER CITY – OLDER HOUSINGo Quite high cost of lando Was C19th terraced housing and factories, now with urban

regeneration, some new housing and industryo Often see ‘grid-iron’ pattern of streetso High traffic, due to factories and populationo Generally C19th buildings, some newo Tall buildings; were packed together (high density), now less soo High population, although lowering. People moved due to

crime etc., but now many are returningo In C20th generally poorer groups of people, immigrants etc.,

although now much more of a variety

C – SUBURBS

C – SUBURBS Middle and high cost housing; generally low land value but

high building value Detached/ semi detached housing; housing estates; parks; golf

courses etc. Access roads, maybe cul-de-sacs, crescents etc. Little traffic, away from main roads Mostly C20th buildings Low buildings and low density as low cost of land; also need

space for greenery etc. Population density is quite high, tends to be more affluent

groups – middle aged couples and families etc.

D – EDGE OF CITY INDUSTRIAL AREAS/ SHOPS

D – EDGE OF CITY INDUSTRIAL AREAS/ SHOPS

Quite low land value, but getting higher – accessible and zoned

Modern factories, offices; middle and high order shops; lots of space for car parking

High traffic at rush hours and peak shopping timesVery new buildings, generally low densityLow population density

Study models on pages 492, 493, 494 and 495. In what ways to land use models/ patterns contrast in MEDCs and LEDCs?

Terms

- PVLI- Distance-decay- Bid Rent Theory- Urban morphology

Developed in the 1930s by Homer Hoyt this model took into consideration road, river and rail links which may affect the zoning. It is sometimes called the sector model. Describe it using the key to help you.

The Hoyt Model

1 Historical

The urban area expanded outwards from the original site which is the CBD.

2 Economic

Rent in the CBD became too expensive for people. In the suburbs there was more land and it was cheaper. Only businesses could afford to stay in the CBD.

3 Concentrations of similar land uses

One part of the urban area may have all the advantages for industrial location so that a lot of factories want to locate there; but few people want to live next door to a factory, so the residential areas are located elsewhere.

There are 3 explanations for these land use patterns.

SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES

Create a table to show similarities and differences between the two models.

It is a model so may not be able to be applied to a specific city. Like the Burgess model it was designed before the car so doesn’t take

commuting into consideration Physical features may limit the growth of a zone.

Can you give an example?

Limitations

Land Use Shanghai

Basic urban model for an LEDC city.

Higher cost housing and higher class residential areas located centrally. Historical core of colonial city. Rapid urban growth expanding the peripheral areas.

The CBD is always in the middle

There is no zone of medium class residential in the LEDC model

The poorest housing is found of the edge of the LEDC city

The largest zone is the shanty town. Often called squatter settlements, slums or favelas

You should have identified:

Urban growth is too rapid for planners and for the city to provide basic urban infrastructure, housing and services. Peripheral areas characterised by poor quality housing and spontaneous settlements as immigrants attempt to satisfy their basic needs of housing and employment through the informal economy.

Urban stress and sustainable solutions in LEDC cities

Dhaka

Mexico City

ShanghaiRio de Janeiro

What are the challenges facing an (LEDC) city?

•Housing the urban poor•Social deprivation, crime and inequality•Employment•Air / water pollution•Waste management•Transport•Energy•Water and food supply•Public space

Caracas - Venezuela

Rocinha – Rio de Janeiro Brazil

Squatter SettlementsResidential areas which have developed without legal claims to the land and/or permission from the concerned authorities to build; as a result of their illegal or semi-legal status, infrastructure and services are usually inadequate.30% of the urban population of the world live in squatter settlements. 1 billion people!

http://www.ted.com/talks/robert_neuwirth_on_our_shadow_cities.html

Watch Richard Neuwirth’s TED presentation on his book Shadow Cities

He presents an empathic and positive view of squatter settlements and their role in modern cities.

The role of the Informal Sector

This whole process of urbanisation and urban growth is a sum of millions of people’s individual decisions, aspirations, hopes and desire to provide for their loved ones. As the governments are unable to provide solutions, then these individuals, faced with these problems are struggling to find their own solutions to their housing and employment needs.This is why squatter settlements play such a vital role in the process of urban growth we are witnessing now in the world.

Is it possible that squatter settlements, shanty towns, bustees, favelas, slums are part of the solution?

Or perhaps is it true that they are a potent symbol of the failure of society to address the basic needs of the majority and it must be the responsibility of the public sector to provide housing for its citizens?

Slums of hope or slums of despair?

Problems of the informal economy

Low profit

No money

No investment

Low output

Turner’s model can be linked to a intra-urban movement of migrants

Planet Geography pg 534

• Huge gaps between rich and poor in LEDCs?– Shanty next to high rise– TNCs create jobs – only for educated– The rich get richer....

• LEDCs rapidly changing?– DTM?– Shanghai growth– Globalisation and ‘copying’ MEDC growth

AIR POLLUTION

Why have the problems developed? What is the impact on the city? (environmental, economic, social)

LEDCs

• Some of the worst air pollution is now in LEDCs or ‘NICs’ – figure 11.131 pg 546

• Beijing example; page 551

Urban Microclimates

• A microclimate is – a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs

from the surrounding area. The term may refer to areas as small as a few square feet (for example a garden bed) or as large as many square miles

• Why might an urban area have a ‘microclimate’?

• What is meant by an ‘urban heat island?’ – q block 11O page 551.

Other ‘Social Stresses’

• Using pages 556-565 list the ‘other’ social stresses which appear in urban areas.

• Complete questions 1,2,3,4,7,8,10 and 12 pg 566

Urban Stress in London

• Usual problems – pollution, traffic, overcrowding• Huge gap between rich and poor• Inner city urban blight – poor, old housing (East

End), schools• High rise estates to make up for shortfall (600,000)• These areas associated with crime, violence and Graffiti.

Urban Stress in London

• Huge range of migrants (former port city)– 1960s from former colonies in Asia (Pakistan, Sri

Lanka); East Africa (Uganda) and in the 1980/90s large numbers of refugees from eg Afghanistan, Iraq.

– Creates ‘urban villages’ where people cluster, creates a ‘hotbed’ of culture in London

– Has led to some hostility and racism– History of riots in the city – Brixton (25% population

of different racial background)

However...

• Not ALL bad!• ‘In a 100m stretch in Finsbury Park can be seen an

Irish pub, Indian newsagents, food shop and restaurant, West Indian businesses, West African restaurant, Chinese take away, Lebanese flower shop, Jewish run ironmongers, Italian restaurant, Spanish off-licence... This rich mix of cultures rubbing alongside one another that characterises contemporary London and adds so much to its vitality’

• Read pgs570-577; q’s 1, 5, 7, 8, 9

The Sustainable City

• Can a city be ‘sustainable’?– ‘A sustainable city, or eco-city is a city designed

with consideration of environmental impact, inhabited by people dedicated to minimization of required inputs of energy, water and food, and waste output of heat, air pollution - CO2, methane and water pollution’

How does a city attempt to manage the problems it faces?

• Socially sustainable housing management strategy.• Environmentally sustainable pollution management

strategy.• A strategy to control the growth of the city.

• Also perhaps sustainable management related to social welfare, waste, energy, transport etc

Sustainable HousingWhat is done to provide socially sustainable housing for the urban poor?• Affordable housing provided by government or private

sector• Upgrading squatter settlements• Slum clearance and relocation• Site and service schemes• Loans for people to buy housing

• Other options in London, Shanghaior Beijing?

- Can a ‘system’ be in place?Study figure 11.238 pg 582Complete q’s 2 and 3 pg 584

London – Sustainable?

• TASK:– Read pgs 584-590 and make a table

SUSTAINABLE YES SUSTAINABLE NO

INNER CITY CONGESTION CHARGE

45,000 TONNES OF FUEL TO POWER THE CITY

Evaluation of strategy

For example – a relocation and re-housing project• Availability of land • Distance from employment for residents• Cost of projects• Poor standard of housing• Lack of urban services provided• Social fabric of squatter settlement broken up• Pointless as residents of squatter settlements have

already built their dwellingsAlternative is to upgrade existing squatter settlements and integrate them into the city. Favela Bairro project.