opt G- urban environments

• Urban area


  A built-up area that forms part of a city or town
• Informal activities


  Untaxed, unregulated jobs
• Formal activities


  Taxed, regulated activities such as people working in offices and factories
• Suburbanization


  The outward growth of towns and cities to engulf surrounding villages and rural areas

  
• Gentrification


  Improvement of residential areas by immigrants and the residents themselves, with an economic dimension such as the development of retailing and other services
• Counter-urbanization


  A process involving the movement of population away from larger urban areas to smaller urban areas

  
• Re-urbanization / urban renewal

  The development of activities to increase residential population densities within the existing built-up area of a city

  
• Urban circular system


  A sustainable city in which there are recycling, reuse and reduction of resources, renewable forms of energy, and measures taken to reduce the ecological footprint
• Urban ecological footprint


  The amount of land required to sustain a population with the resources they need, and to assimilate their waste
• Characteristics of urban places

  • Population size
  • Specific features (CBD, residential zones...)
  • Predominant economic activities (manufacturing, services...)
  • Administrative function
• Site


  The actual land which a settlement is built in
• Situation


  Refers to its relationship with its surrounding area
• Desirable characteristics for settlers

  • Readily available water
  • Freedom of flooding
  • Level sites to build on
  • Local timber for construction and fuel
  • Sunny, south-facing slopes
  • Proximity to rich soils for cultivation
  • The potential for trade and commerce
• Functions and land use

  • Industrial role: manufacturing / high-tech industry
  • Service role: education/ healthcare / leisure
  • Residential role: to home people
• Post industrial era

  Areas such as Europe, Japan or USA which offer most of their jobs in services than in industry
• Some urban areas are still associated with functions. E.g., Tourism, mining & fishing settlements
• Dormitory town


  Residential town to house workers from industry, paying lower prices
• Vertical zoning

  Where the same building is used for one function on one floor & another function on another floor