Urban Forms

Question 1

Define a CBD:

Answer 1

Central business district

Question 2

What are the three features of a CBD?

Answer 2

• Shopping facilities (e.g. retail stores)
• Business offices
• Entertainment and leisure facilities

Question 3

Define gentrification:

Answer 3

When deprived or run-down areas get regenerated into more affluent areas.

Question 4

Give three positives of gentrification:

Answer 4

• Increase in economic activity
• Increased employment opportunities
• Better standard of living

Question 5

Give three negatives of gentrification:

Answer 5

• Locals are unable to afford the area when house prices increase
• Conflict between locals and newcomers
• Cultures are lost by newcomers

Question 6

Give five features of a fortress landscape:

Answer 6

• CCTV
• Fencing off on restricted areas (with fences, railing)
• Street lighting
• Methods to control transport speed (e.g. speed bumps, low speed limits)
• Alarms

Question 7

Give two positives of fortress landscapes:

Answer 7

• Can be effective at reducing crime
• Increase residents safety

Question 8

Give one negative of fortress landscapes:

Answer 8

• Can cause segregation

Question 9

Define a postmodern western city:

Answer 9

City formed through development typically at the end of the 20th century.

Question 10

Give features of postmodern western cities:

Answer 10

• ‘Iconic’ architect all designs
• High levels of ethnic diversity
• Social inequalities
• High economic activity

Question 11

How can topography influence the growth of a city?

Answer 11

• e.g. steep slopes are harder to build on and less accessible, so poorer housing (ie. slums) may be built on them.
• Large flat areas encourage low density developments as there is a lot of space to build on.

Question 12

How can water influence the growth of a city?

Answer 12

• e.g. presence of lakes and seas limit urban growth in those areas, while cities may grow along the course of a river.
• City centre shops and businesses are usually located close to the waterfront, rather than at geographical centre of the city.

Question 13

How can natural resources influence the growth of a city?

Answer 13

Rich resources (e.g. coal, metal) encourage growth in size and population of cities.

Question 14

How can land type influence the growth of a city?

Answer 14

Some ground surfaces are more difficult or expensive to build on than others, e.g. swamps and wetlands can limit urban growth.

Question 15

How can planning influence the growth of a city?

Answer 15

• Urban expansion can be planned or unplanned.
• Planned developments = open space, leisure facilities
• Unplanned developments = Slums

Question 16

How can infrastructure influence the growth of a city?

Answer 16

New developments are often built along transport links, leading to linear growth.

Question 17

How can land value influence the growth of a city?

Answer 17

The highest value land is often found in the city centre, so profitable businesses usually locate there, while less profitable businesses may be found further from the centre.

Question 18

In an urban area, where is the highest value land found?

Answer 18

City centre