Urban GeographyUrban Geography

What is it?

• The study of how people use space in cities.

• What is where? How are things arranged in relation to each other?

Cities

• A city isn’t just a descriptive definition (it’s big with a lot of people), it’s a functional one.

• That is, it’s defined by what it does, not just by what it is.

• It’s the center of business and culture in a given area

• The hub around which regional life revolves.

• What’s the hub that you live around?

Elements

• Suburbs

• Sub-urban

• Touch the central city or touch other suburbs that touch the central city

• Differing levels of development – some residential, some commercial, some industrial

• What are examples of each of these around Houston?

• Exurbs

• Smaller units farther away from the main city

• The city, the suburbs and the exurbs make up the metropolitan area.

Where do cities tend to develop? Why there? What factors spur urban development in certain places?

• Here are a few:

1. Water access

2. Dry area

3. Easy access to building materials

4. Defensive position

5. Fuel supply

6. Food supply

7. Travel intersections or bridge points

8. Sheltered areas

Land-Use Patterns

• How is the land used and for what?

• Residential

• Where people live/dwell – their homes.

• Industrial

• Where things are made, stored, or shipped

• What sort of examples can you think of?

• Commercial

• Private businesses and retail

• Examples?

Central Business District

• The locus of commercial activity in the city.

• Expensive real estate

Which model do you think Houston has?