i-study.co.uk: IB Geography; urban environments

G1 Urban Populations


Read this article for an introduction to the unit: megacities. Published by http://www.yearofplanetearth.org/
Week 1	Urbanisation: An increase in the % of a countries population living in towns & cities. Inward movements of people (centripetal movement) Rural - urban migration: what? push & pull factors. Case Study. Gentrification: what? Why? Case Study - London Docklands. Re-urbanisation: what? why? Example. Outward Movements of people (centrifugal movement) Suburbanisation: The growth of towns & cities to include (engulf) surrounding villages/ rural areas. Counter-urbanisation: what & why? Push & Pull factors. Urban Sprawl: *Unplanned & uncontrolled spread/growth of a city into the surrounding rural area. Natural change* Impact of natural increase in urban areas on population densities & distribution. Global Megacities: cities with a population over 10 million .Where and why have these cities been rapidly increasing in number? Growth of modern cities (podcast) 2011

G2 Urban Land Use

Week 2

Urban Land Use

1) Concentric Zone Model - Burgess, 1924.

Identify zones within this model & the characteristics of them.

Assumptions & limitations of the model.

2) CBD Core -periphery model

Newcastle (UK) City Centre Land Use

3) Brownfield sites: definition. Read factfile - UK brownfield sites

What are brownfield sites? Why are they often more expensive to develop?

UK brownfield development issues (2001)

4) Greenfield sites - what & issues surrounding their development.

LEDC City problems & solutions - favelas/slums

CASE STUDY: Rocinha favela, Rio de Janeiro

Go this page: Rio Case Studies

Make notes about the favela in Rio -

What are they?
Where are they?
Why do people live in them?
What services do they have?
What rights do they get/have?
What sense of community is there?
How the authorities cope with them?

Interactive Map of Multi-Plaza, San Jose, Costa Rica

G3 Urban Stress

	Urban Microclimates & urban heat islands

	San Jose Ring Road to reduce traffic congestion in the city View Larger Map

G4 The Sustainable City

In your groups research & present back a powerpoint or movie about:

The city as a system Describe the city as a system in terms of:
• inputs—energy, water, people, materials, products, food (urban agriculture)
• outputs—solid, atmospheric and liquid waste, noise, people.
Distinguish between a sustainable circular system where inputs are reduced and outputs are recycled and an
unsustainable (open/linear) city system with uncontrolled inputs and outputs.

• Case studies Referring to at least two city case studies, discuss the concepts of:
• sustainable city management
• the urban ecological footprint.

Rooftop Gardens, New York (Guardian 2011)

Brasilia (Guardian 2011)

Beijing Smog

Beijing Rubbish dumps