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Contemporary Urban Environments Case Studies - Coggle Diagram
Contemporary Urban Environments Case Studies
River Restoration
Darlington, River Skerne
The River Skerne, tributary of the River Tees in NE England.
Between 1850-1945, the river was straightened and channelised to accommodate industrialisation and urbanisation
SUbsequent widening in 1950s-70s to further improve drainage and reduce flood risk.
Deindustrialisation left it polluted, with much of the floodplain raised by waste tipping.
Gas and sewer pipes running alongside severely restrained the scope of restoration
Project adopting us of soft revetments as outer banks of restored meanders to protect the pipelines from erosion initiated in July 1995.
This approach is often unpractical in urban areas because of such establsihed built environment.
Has to be partial, with greater emphasis on conservation.
Urban Drainage
Lamb Drove, Cambourne
West of Cambridge
Cambridgeshire is relatively low lying, where flooding in river valleys and urban watercourses is a major concern,
Cambridge Housing Society project (35 homes), part of European funded programme (FLOWS)
Aim to showcase practical and innovative sustainable water management techniques within new residential developments.
Demonstrate sustainable urban drainage systems are a viable and attractive alternative to more traditional forms to deliver practical solutions for new housing areas.
Measures include:
Water butts to collect roof water
Permeable paving
Swales
Detention basins
Use of components in series to control quantity of runoff, reducing flow rates and volumes.
Monitored since completion in 2006, it is cost-effective, construction and maintenance have been 10% less than conventional pipe drainage.
Substantial improvement to biodiversity, ecology and subsequent quality of life (swales has led to an enhanced attractive landscape)
Postmodern Western Cities
Las Vegas
Urban form associated with changes in urban structure, architectural design and planning, reflecting social and economic conditions.
Globalisation, fragmentation, symbolism.
Postmodernism started as a critique to modernism, viewing modern society as outdated,, impersonal, sceptic and a culture of plurality.
1905 railroad connected the city in Nevada with the Pacific Ocean and the country’s main rail networks.
1931 construction of the Boulder Dam drawing thousands of workers
Casinos and entertainment venues opened up just outside of the city’s jurisdiction to meet needs of workforce.
Urban Economy
Is serviced dominated
The Strip rapidly expanded as a result of the cheap hydroelectric power and funding from gangsters and entrepreneurs.
Last 30 years, construction of massive complexes taking inspiration from global landmarks.
Urban Structure
Lake Las Vegas- a gated community with pseudo Mediterranean villas shored on a huamn-made lake. Heavily pedestrianised.
Urban Architecture and Landscape
Excessive consumerism
Urban Government
Works in partnership of private corporations, planning for necessary accommodation of tourists
Gambling culture dominates a fragmented and weak government, drawing from a limited tax base.
Ecology of Fear
Ranked one of highest for crime rates, and location for the deadliest mass shooting in US history in 2017
Urban Characteristics
LA and Mumbai
Los Angeles
Land Use
Grew out of the Gold Rush in mid 1800s, used to supply beef for the miners.
Largely white and middle classes moved to LA to escape issues of big industrial cities such as Chicago and Detroit.
Increased car ownership encouraged suburbanisation, typifying modern urban sprawl
Greater LA incorporates 88 cities and largely made of low density housing.
Economic Inequality
Businesses and services followed workers to cheaper and larger sites in the suburbs, CBD suffered (
donut city
)
Downtown LA is dominated by HQs of TNCs offering few opportunities for the lower skilled local population.
Low skilled employment such as retail has also moved to edge cities such as Anaheim.
Cultural Diversity
Mexican Hispanics largest ethnic groups, distinctive ethnic enclaves testament to multiculturalism, left behind from suburbanisation
Thus suffering deprivation such as unemployment, high crime rates and poor access to schools and health.
Mumbai
Largest, most populous, richest city in India
12 million in 438km squared.
Land Use
Large harbour (Gateway of India), status of India’s commercial, economic, transportation and cultural centre.
Founded on seven islands, consequently drained.
Skyscrapers dominate the CBD (the Fort area), with shopping centres such as Colaba Causeway Corner meet the needs of a growing middle classes.
High tech industries have moved in the take advantage of cheap, skilled labour
22.5 million people live on the streets or shanty towns, such as the slum district of Dharavi, contrasting to Malabar Hill.
Economic Inequality
Huge numbers live in poverty, and growth is unsustainable.
Much foreign investment and wealth, low taxes and.a large informal economy do not provide necessary funds to allow investment domestically.
Around 5 million have no access to clean drink gin water and road and rail incidents are frequent.
Cultural Diversity
1000 new migrants daily, several languages spoken (Marathi and English)
Many practicing faiths, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity.
Global Waste
Manila, the Philippines
EME facing major-waste-disposal problems
Only 10% of Manila’s waste is officially recycled or composted.
4/5 is collected and transported to vast landfill sites (the rest is burnt or illegally dumped)
Payatas
is the largest of Manila’s landfill sites, covering 200 hectares, tens of metres high.
Opened in 1973, remaining in use despite official closure following a rainstorm collapse in 2000, killing over 200 people.
More than 80,000 people live in surrounding slums, suffering the stench, contaminated water.
Over 4000 waste-pickers suffer severe health problems such as typhoid, hepatitis, cholera.
A Sustainable City
Freiburg
Protection and enhancement of green spaces
40% of the city is forested, over half of woodlands are protected as natural conservation areas.
Only native species are planted such as Black Forest trees
River Dreisam is unmanaged (excepting flood retention basins)
A sustainable water supply
Harnesses rainwater and wastewater recycling
Protection for groundwater as main drinking source
Widespread sustainable urban drainage systems (such as green roofs, permeable paving, bio retention basins.
MSW is reused and recycled as much as possible
350 community collections for recycling
Energy for 28,000 homes provided by MSW incineration
Social dimensions include the provision of ‘affordable’ energy saving homes and locals encouraged to invest in renewable energy resources.
Investors in renewable energy resources receive free football season tickets.
Economic dimensions include the creation of 10,000 jobs in 1500 environmental businesses
Over 1,000 employed in solar technologies (research, development and manufacturing).
Urban Growth
Bengaluru is one of India’s fastest growing cities, previously small, green and relatively sustainable.
Focus on the knowledge economy, exhibiting physical and economic growth of Bengaluru.
Political Processes
Government set aside large piece of land for a high tech business park
’Electronics City’
, Texas Instruments was the first major TNC to move in.
Related industries enticed by low taxes, relaxed licensing laws and limits on currency conversions
Investing in education, transport, infrastructure and housing developments tackling some urban problems.
Economic Processes
Led India’s drive into a new globalised economy, relying on people and skills rather than manufactured goods.
Largest job-creating city in India, capital of aeronautical, automotive, biotechnology, electronics and defence industries.
Prominent informal sector providing the needs of the high tech and corporate workers
Social Processees
Trickle-down effects of urbanisation enhancing a divide between the middle class and ‘Dalits’.
Increasing pressure for housing, as more skilled labour is pulled from outside Bengaluru.
Regeneration of the centre, traditional, colonial parts increases rents and forces inhabitants out in Richmond Town.
Wealthy migrate to safer, gated suburbs such as Indiranagar.
Slums permanent feature of urban life, occupying marginal land, less than half have access to sanitation, clean water or electricity.
Technological Processes
Cause and effect of urban growth. 200 engineering colleges and universities provide a highly-skilled workforce supplying educated, skilled, and cheap workforce for India’s defence and space research industries.
Average wages are 10% of those in London, encouraging overseas companies to invest (especially in industry where wages are greatest cost).
OFten reinvest in their workforce, such as upskiling in IT-specific skills benefitting local economy.
Growth in homegrown IT-based companies such as Infosys.
Its airport is the third busiest airport in the country, increasing flights to Europe.
Demographic Processes
Population in 2019 (12.9 million) was more than double that of 2001.
INcrease mainly from influx of economic migrants from elsewhere in India, and increasingly foreign countries.
Youthful age structure , means population momentum will almost guarantee continued population growth for several decades, meaning more pressure on services.