The City in Space and Time

The Human Mosaic Chapter 10

Introduction
Imagine humankinds sojourn on Earth as a

24-hour day

Settlements of more than a hundred people are only about a half-hour old Towns and cities emerged only a few minutes ago Large-scale urbanization began less than 60 seconds ago

Introduction
Urbanization in the last 200 years has

strengthened links between culture, society, and the city

Urban explosion has gone hand in hand with the industrial revolution Estimates demonstrate the worlds urban population more than doubled since 1950 Urban population doubled again by 2000 Over 50 percent of Earths population live in cities

Urbanization: Sao Paulo, Brazil

Urbanization: Sao Paulo, Brazil

Sao Paulo epitomizes the

dynamics of urbanization, especially capitalism. Starting as a coffee exporting center, it had less than 32000 inhabitants by 1872. Today metropolitan Sao Paulo is a primate city of more than 20 million. Economic development and flat land engendered population increase and sprawl, rising land costs in the center, and a boom in construction.

Urbanization: Sao Paulo, Brazil

Economic success is

denoted by the high-rises which are a mix of industrial, commercial and professional office blocks, as well as apartment complexes. City planning is only a recent phenomenon. Rural to urban migration is a serious problem and the citys rapid growth has outstripped its ability to provide jobs, housing and adequate services.

Culture regions

Urban Culture Region Origin and Diffusion of the City Evolution of Urban Landscapes The Ecology of Urban Location Cultural Integration in Urban Geography

Problem of recognizing urban regions

Urbanized populationpercentage of a

nations population living in towns and cities Striking urbanization difference between countries

Some close to 90 percent Others less than 20 percent

Culture regions can be based on varying

rates of urbanization We have a pattern of urban versus rural countries

Problem of recognizing urban regions

Within each nation, we can delimit formal and

functional culture regions separating urban and rural domains There is no agreed-upon international definition of what constitutes a city

India defines an urban center as 5,000 inhabitants, with adult males employed primarily in nonagricultural work The United States Census Bureau defines a city as a densely populated area of 2,500 people or more South Africa counts as a city any settlement of 500 or more people

Problem of recognizing urban regions

Some countries revise definitions of urban

settlements to suit specific purposes China revised its census definitions with criteria that vary from province to province causing their urban population to swell by 13 percent in 1983

Generalizations
Generalizations made about the differences

in the worlds urbanized population Highly industrialized countries have higher rates of urbanized population than do lessdeveloped countries Developing countries are rapidly urbanizing

Caused by massive migration away from the country People flock to the cities searching for a better life

Generalizations
Developing countries are rapidly urbanizing

City migration is often driven by desperation, as rural supply systems collapse

For newcomers to the cities, unemployment rates are often over 50 percent

One of the worlds ongoing crises will be this

radical restructuring of population and culture as people move into the cities

Generalizations
Urban growth comes from two sources Migration of people to the cities Higher natural population growth rates for recent migrants

Because employment is unreliable, large families construct a more extensive family support system Increases the chances of someone getting work Smaller families when a certain dimension of security is ensured Smaller families often occur when women enter the work force

World cities
Cities over 5 million in population
Over half of the worlds 20 largest cities are in

the developing world Thirty years ago, the list of world cities was dominated by Western, industrialized cities Now the list is even more dominated by the developing world

World cities
Mexico Citys growth is linked to Mexicos oil

industry Some countries are trying to regulate urban growth

Problems with transportation, housing, and employment Failure or success of these policies will influence city size in the next ten to twenty years China closely regulates urban growth

World cities
Accurate population projections are evasive because

they depend on variables Primate city a settlement city that dominates the economic, political, and cultural life of a country

The target for much urban migration Rapid growth expands its primacy, or dominance Example of Mexico City far exceeds Guadalajara, the second-largest city in Mexico, in size and importance Many developing countries are dominated by a primate city, which was often a former center of colonial power Primate cities are also found in developed countries London and Paris

Culture regions

Urban Culture Region Origin and Diffusion of the City Evolution of Urban Landscapes The Ecology of Urban Location Cultural Integration in Urban Geography

The first cities

In seeking explanation for the origin of cities,

we find a relationship between:

Areas of early agriculture Permanent village settlement The development of new social forms Urban life

Early people were nomadic hunters and

gatherers who constantly moved

The first cities

As they became increasingly efficient in gathering

resources, their campsites became semi-permanent As quantities of domesticated plants and animals increased settlement became more permanent The first cities appeared in the Middle East

Developed about ten thousand years ago Farming villages modest in size, rarely with more than 200 people Probably organized on a kinship basis

The first cities

The first cities appeared in the Middle East Probably organized on a kinship basis Jarmo, one of the earliest villages Located in present-day Iraq Had 25 permanent dwellings clustered near grain storage facilities Lacked plows, but cultivated local grains wheat and barley Domestic dogs, goats, and sheep may have been used for meat Food supplies augmented by hunting and gathering

The first cities

In agricultural villages, all inhabitants were

involved in some way in food procurement Cities were more removed, physically and psychologically, from everyday agricultural activities

Food was supplied to the city Not all city dwellers were involved in actual farming Another class of city dwellers supplied services such as technical skills, and religious interpretation

The first cities

Two elements were crucial to this social change Generation of agricultural surplus prerequisite for supporting nonfarmers Stratified social system Meaning the existence of distinct elite and lower classes Facilitates the collection, storage, and distribution of resources Well-defined channels of authority that exercise control over goods and people These two set the stage for urbanization

Models for the rise of cities

Technical The hydraulic civilization model, developed by Karl Wittfogel

Large-scale irrigation systems as prime mover behind urbanization Higher crop yields resulted Food surplus supported development of a large nonfarming population Strong, centralized government, backed by an urban-based military Farmers who resisted new authority were denied water

Models for the rise of cities

Technical The hydraulic civilization model, developed by Karl Wittfogel Power elite needed for organizational coordination to ensure continued operation of the irrigation system Labor specialization developed The hydraulic model cannot be applied to all urban hearths Urban civilization blossomed without irrigation in parts of Mesoamerica The question of how or why a culture might first develop irrigation

Models for the rise of cities

Religious Paul Wheatley suggests religion was the motivating factor behind urbanization Knowledge of meteorological and climatic conditions was considered to be within the domain of religion Religious leaders decided when and how to plant crops Successful harvests led to more support for this priestly class Priestly class exercised political and social control that held the city together In this scenario, cities are religious spaces functioning as ceremonial centers First urban clusters and fortification seen as defenses against spiritual demons or souls of the dead

Models for the rise of cities

Multiple factors Distinction between economic, religious, and political functions were not always clear A king may have functioned as priest, healer, astronomer, and scribe In some ways secular and spiritual power was fused Attempting to isolate one trigger to urbanization is difficult, if not impossible It would be wiser to accept the role of multiple factors behind the changes leading to urban life Technical, religious, and political forces were often interlinked

Urban hearth areas

Where the first cities appeared, for example:

Mesopotamia The Nile Valley Pakistans Indus River Valley The Yellow River valley (or Huang Ho) in China Mesoamerica

Next slide gives general dates of urban life

emergence for each region

Urban hearth areas

Generally agreed first cities arose in Mesopotamia River valley of the Tigris and Euphrates in what is now Iraq Cities, small by current standards, covered one-half to two square miles Populations rarely exceeded 30,000 Densities could reach 10,000 per square mile comparable to todays cities
Early cities, also called cosmomagical cities,

exhibited three spatial characteristics

Urban hearth areas

Early cities, also called cosmomagical cities,

exhibited three spatial characteristics

Great importance accorded the symbolic center of the city, which was thought to be the center of the known world Often demarcated by a vertical structure of monumental scale representing the point on Earth closest to the heavens This symbolic center, or axis mundi, took different forms
The ziggurat in Mesopotamia The palace or temple in China The pyramid in Egypt and Mesoamerica The Stupa in the Indus Valley

Cosmomagical City: Beijing, China

Cosmomagical City: Beijing, China

This is the Hall of Supreme

Harmony, the most important ceremonial building in Beijings Forbidden City. The hall is set upon an auspicious number of three tiers. From the Gate of Supreme Harmony, the emperor would be carried on his palanquin above the dragon pavement, carved with his dragon and other auspicious symbols such as waves, mountains and clouds.

Cosmomagical City: Beijing, China

The Forbidden City marked

the inner sanctum of the Imperial city, a model of harmony and moral order expressing the Will of Heaven. Ritual and cosmic correctness was imbued in city form through divination and orientation; cardinal axiality and concentricity; and, square configuration defined by walls and gates.

Urban hearth areas

Early cities, also called cosmomagical cities,

exhibited three spatial characteristics

In Mesopotamia, this area was known as the citadel and housed the elite who lived in relative luxury

Streets were paved, drains and running water were provided Private sleeping quarters, bathtubs, and water closets were provided Privileges did not extend to the city as a whole

Urban hearth areas

Early cities, also called cosmomagical cities,

exhibited three spatial characteristics

The city was oriented toward the four cardinal directions Geometric form of city would reflect the order of the universe Walls around the city delimited the known and ordered world from the outside chaos Attempt to shape the form of the city according to the form of the universe Thought essential to maintain harmony between human and spiritual worlds Example of Ankor Thorn in India

Urban hearth areas

Life in Mesopotamias early cities from archaeological

evidence

Dense housing, located just outside the citadel, was one or two stories tall composed of clay brick, and contained three or four rooms Narrow unsurfaced streets had no drainage, and served as the community dump At Ur, excavations show that garbage levels rose so high, new entrances were cut into second stories of the houses Just inside the city wall, huts of mud and reed housed the lower classes

Urban hearth areas

Early cities of the Nile were not walled, suggesting a

regional power structure kept cities from warring with each other In the Indus Valley, Mohenjo-Daro was laid out in a grid that consisted of 16 large blocks The most important variations in living conditions occurred in Mesoamerica

Cities were less dense and covered large areas Cities arose without benefit of the wheel, plow, metallurgy, and draft animals Domestication of maize compensated for technological shortcomings Maize yields several crops a year without irrigation in tropical climates

The diffusion of the city from hearth areas

The two hypotheses of how cities spread in

prehistoric times

Cities evolved spontaneously as native peoples created new technologies and social institutions Preconditions for urban life are too specific for most cultures to invent without contact with other urban areas People must have learned these traits through contact with city dwellers This scenario emphasized the diffusion of ideas and techniques

The diffusion of the city from hearth areas

Diffusionists believe ideas and techniques from

Mesopotamia were shared with people in the Nile and the Indus River valley

Archaeological evidence documents trade ties between the three regions Soapstone objects made in Tepe Yahy, 500 miles east of Mesopotamia, have been found in ruins of both Mesopotamia and Indus Valley cities Indus Valley writing and seals have been found in Mesopotamian urban sites

An alternate view is that trading took place only after

these cities were well established

The diffusion of the city from hearth areas

There is evidence of contacts across the

oceans between early urban dwellers of the New World and those of Asia and Africa

Unclear if this means urbanization was diffused to Mesoamerica Maybe some trade routes existed between these peoples

The diffusion of the city from hearth areas

Little doubt diffusion is responsible for the dispersal

of the city in historical times

City used as vehicle for imperial expansion Urban life is carried outward in waves of conquest as empires expand Initially, military controls newly won lands and sets up collection points for local resources As collection points lose some military atmosphere they begin to show the social diversity of a city Native people are slowly assimilated into the settlement as workers and may eventually control the city The process repeats itself as the empire pushes outward

The diffusion of the city from hearth areas

Imposition of a foreign civilization on native peoples was often

met with resistance Examples of imperial city building dot history Alexander the Great established at least 70 cities The Roman Empire built literally thousand of cities, changing the face of Europe, North Africa, and Asia minor The Persians, the Maurya Empire of India, the Han civilization of China, and the Greeks performed the same city-spreading task In more recent times, European empires have used city resources to expand and consolidate their power in colonies in the Americas, Africa, and Asia Expansion diffusion has been critical in dispersing urban life over the surface of the Earth

Culture regions

Urban Culture Region Origin and Diffusion of the City Evolution of Urban Landscapes The Ecology of Urban Location Cultural Integration in Urban Geography

Introduction
Patterns seen in the city today are a

composite of past and present cultures Two concepts underlie our examination of urban landscapes

Urban morphology physical form of the city, which consists of street patterns, building sizes and shapes, architecture, and density Functional zonation refers to the pattern of land uses within a city, or existence of areas with differing functions

The Greek city

Western civilization and Western cities trace their

roots to ancient Greece By 600 B.C., over five hundred towns and cities existed on the Greek mainland and surrounding islands With expansion, cities spread throughout the Mediterranean to the north shore of Africa, to Spain, southern France, and Italy Cities rarely had more than 5,000 inhabitants Athens may have reached 300,000 in the fifth century B.C., including perhaps 100,000 slaves

The Greek city

Cities had two distinctive functional zones

the acropolis and the agora The acropolis was similar in many ways to the citadel of Mesopotamian cities

Had the temples of worship, storehouse of valuables, and seat of power Served as a place of retreat in time of siege

The Greek city

The agora was the province of the citizens

A place for public meetings, education, social interaction, and judicial matters It was the civic center, the hub of democratic life for Greek men Later, after the classical period, it became the citys major marketplace without losing its atmosphere of a social club

The Greek city

Physical separation of religious from secular

functions implies the religious domain was no longer the only source of authority

Temples were located on sacred sites chosen to please the gods Temples were also sited and designed to please the human eye and harmonize with the natural landscape

The Greek city

Tension created between the religious and

secular created what many consider to be one of the greatest achievements of Western architecture Earlier Greek cities probably grew spontaneously without formal guidelines

Some think many ceremonial areas were designed to be seen according to prescribed lines of vision The human aesthetic was given a degree of authority not given in cosmomagical cities

The Greek city

In later Greek cities a more formalized city design

and plan are apparent example of Miletus in Ioma (present-day Turkey)

Laid out in a rigid grid system imposing its geometry on the physical site conditions Layout indicates an abstracted and highly rational notion of urban life Seems to fit well with the functional needs of a colonial city Grid system shows religious and aesthetic needs had taken a secondary role to pressing demands of controlling an empire

Roman cities
Romans adopted many urban traits from the

Greeks and the Etruscans, whom the Romans had conquered and absorbed in northern Italy As the empire expanded, city life diffused into areas that had not previously experienced urbanization

France, Germany, England, interior Spain, the Alpine countries, and parts of eastern Europe

Roman cities
As the empire expanded, city life diffused into areas

that had not previously experienced urbanization

Most cities were established as military (castra) and trading outposts Focal points for collection of local agricultural products Supply centers for the military Service centers for long-distance trading network In England, the trail of city building can be found by looking for the suffixes -caster and -chester indicating cities founded as Roman camps

Roman cities
Roman city landscapes Gridiron street pattern was used in later Greek cities example of Pavia, Italy The forum a zone combining elements of the Greek acropolis and agora

Placed at the intersection of a citys two major thoroughfares Temples of worship, administrative buildings , and warehouses Also libraries, schools, and marketplaces serving the common people

Roman cities
Roman city landscapes Clustered around the forum were the palaces of the power elite Sanitary, well heated in winter, and spacious Not until the twentieth century did such luxury again exist Roman masses lived in shoddy apartment houses Often four or five stories high, called insula System of aqueducts and underground sewers did not extend to the poor Garbage of perhaps a million Romans was thrown into open pits Even in its best days, Romes population was always at the mercy of plagues

Roman cities
Romes most important legacy was the Roman

method for choosing city sites

Remains applicable today Consistently chose sites with transportation in mind Empire held together by a complicated system of roads and highways In choosing a new site for settlement Romans first considered access while other cultures placed emphasis on defensive locations Numerous old Roman town sites were refounded centuries later Paris, London, and Vienna

Roman cities
The Roman Empire was in major decline by

A.D. 400

Cities and the highway system that linked them fell into disrepair The administrative structure collapsed Outposts were either actively destroyed or simply left to decay Within 200 years, many of the cities had withered away

Roman cities
Some Roman cities in the Mediterranean

area managed to survive

Established trade with the Byzantine Empire After the eighth century, cities in Spain were infused with new vigor by the Moorish Empire

Cities in northern regions became small

villages Urban decline occurred only in areas that had been under Roman rule

The medieval city

Medieval period lasted roughly from A.D.

1000 to 1500

Time of renewed urban expansion in Europe Urban life spread north and east in Europe Germanic and Slavic people expanded their empires In only four centuries, 2,500 new German cities were founded Most cities of present-day Europe were founded during this period

The medieval city

Revival of local and long-distance trade resulted from

a combination of factors

Population increase Political stability and unification Agricultural expansion through new land reclamations New Agricultural technologies

Trading networks required protected markets and

supply centers, functions that renewed life in cities Long-distance trading led to the development of a new class of people the merchant class

Medieval Town: Hirschhorn am Neckar, Germany

Medieval Town: Hirschhorn am Neckar, Germany

This town reveals three

important features of urban morphology: castle, wall, and cathedral. Hirschhorn castle caps the summit of a fortified spur in the bend of the Neckar River, affording a clear view of the river and forested valley.

Medieval Town: Hirschhorn am Neckar, Germany

Site factors have also

limited expansion forcing people to build onto the walls. Half-timbering is evident in a number of buildings.

The medieval city

The major functions of the medieval city are

depicted in five symbols

The fortress

Usually cities were clustered around a fortified place Reflected in place names German -burg, French -bourg, English -burgh all meaning a fortified castle The terms burgher and bourgeoisie, originally referred to a citizen of the medieval city

The medieval city

The major functions of the medieval city are

depicted in five symbols

The fortress

Usually cities were clustered around a fortified place Reflected in place names German -burg, French -bourg, English -burgh all meaning a fortified castle The terms burgher and bourgeoisie, originally referred to a citizen of the medieval city

The medieval city

The major functions of the medieval city are

depicted in five symbols

The charter

Governmental decree from a regional power granting political autonomy to the town Freed the population from feudal restrictions Made the city responsible for its own defense and government Allowed cities to coin their own money These freedoms contributed to development of urban social, economic, and intellectual life

The medieval city

The major functions of the medieval city are

depicted in five symbols

The wall

Symbol of the sharp distinction between country and city Within the wall most inhabitants were free; outside most were serfs People inside were able to move about with little restriction Goods entering the gates were inspected and taxed

The medieval city

The major functions of the medieval city are

depicted in five symbols

The wall

Nonresidents were issued permits for entry, but often required to leave by sundown when the gates were shut Suburbs called faubourgs sprang up, and in time demanded to be included into the city If the suburbs were allowed to be part of the city, the wall was extended to include them

The medieval city

The major functions of the medieval city are

depicted in five symbols

The marketplace

Symbolized role of economic activities in the city City depended on the countryside for food and produce was traded in the market Center for long-distance trade linking city to city

The medieval city

The major functions of the medieval city are depicted

in five symbols

The marketplace At one end stood the fairly tall town hail
Meeting space for citys political leaders Market hail for storage and display of finer goods

Brugge, Belgium, had two distinct complexes of buildings at it center

Town hall and castle formed an enclosed square Next to this was the wasserho.lle, so named because the building straddled a canal where goods could be directly brought directly in from barges On adjacent edge of marketplace was the great ball that served as meeting spot for merchant class

The medieval city

The major functions of the medieval city are

depicted in five symbols

The cathedral

Usually the towns crowning glory Symbol of the important role of the church Often close to the marketplace and town ball, indicating close ties between religion, commerce, and politics Church was often prevailing political force

The medieval city

Problems created for contemporary urban life

by medieval city morphology and landscape

Streets were narrow, wandering lanes, rarely more than 15 feet wide Today, in 141 German cities, 77 percent of streets are too narrow for two- way traffic

The medieval city

Functional zonation of medieval cities differed

from that of modern cities

Divided into small quarters, or districts, each containing its own cent that served as its focal point Within each district lived people engaged in similar occupations

The medieval city

Functional zonation of medieval cities differed from that of

modern cities Example of coopers people who made and repaired wooden barrels

Attended the same church, and belonged to the same guild Church and guildhall were in the small center area of their district Surrounding the center were their houses and workshops Many worked in the first story of their home and lived above the shop Apprentices lived above the shop owner

More prestigious groups lived in occupational districts near the city center Those involved in noxious activities lived closer to city walls

The medieval city

Some districts were defined by ethnicity

Jews were forced to live in their own district in most medieval cities

In Frankfurt am Main, they lived on the Judengasse, a street formed from the dried-up moat that had run along the old wall to the city This area was enclosed by walls with only one guarded gate The area was not allowed to expand, leading by 1610 to a population of 3,000 people and one of the densest districts in the city

The Renaissance and baroque periods

Form and function of the city changed significantly

during the Renaissance (1500 1600) and baroque (1600-1800) periods Absolute monarchs arose to preside over a unified nation-state

Rising middle class slowly gave up their freedoms to join with the king in pursuit of economic gain City size grew rapidly because bureaucracies of regional power structures came to dominate them Trade patterns expanded with the beginning of European imperial conquest City planning and military technology acted to remold and constrain the physical form of the city

The Renaissance and baroque periods

A national capital city rose to prominence in

most countries

Provincial cities were subjected to its tastes Power was centralized in its precincts First office buildings were built to house a growing bureaucracy Most important, it was restructured to reflect the power of the central government and insure control over urban masses

Capitalism in the Renaissance City: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Capitalism in the Renaissance City: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam has always been

a commercial city. Situated where dike crossed the Amstel, its harbor was easily accessed from the sea. Essentially at sea level, its quays and streets were flanked by canals. It flourished as a trading center and by the 17th century, had an extensive collection of warehouses and the largest public bank in northern Europe.

Capitalism in the Renaissance City: Amsterdam, Netherlands

As the city prospered, the

walls were expanded and new canals dug to line residential streets designated for a prestigious, residential neighborhood with 30 foot (9.1 meter) lots. These 17th century merchant homes are only 20 feet (6.1 meters) wide because speculators purchased two 30 foot lots and sold them as three 20 foot lots. The upper story was used for storage of goods.

The Renaissance and baroque periods

Height of baroque planning between 1600

and 1800 During the 1800s, Napoleon III carried out a building plan in Paris

Cobblestone streets carefully paved to prevent loose ammunition for rioting Parisians Streets were straightened and widened, and cul-de-sacs broken down to give army space to maneuver

Baroque Planning: Paris, France

Parisians were always

conscious of the beauty of the Seine and exploited it in the 16h and 17th centuries with bridges and promenades along its banks. These highlights aside, in 1840 the city remained a warren of narrow, filthy and crowded streets. But under the direction of Napoleon III and Baron Haussman, much of the city was transformed.

Baroque Planning: Paris, France

Masses of people were

displaced as boulevards and avenues, squares and parks, bazaars and arcades, and luxurious housing blocks were installed. The 19th century was also an era of exhibitions where nations showed off their art and technology to the world. In 1889, Paris displayed Gustave Eiffels tower, the worlds highest structure, testament to the age of iron and steel. The photo is taken from Ile de la Cite, Parish original island site in the Seine River.

Baroque Planning: Paris, France

The Renaissance and baroque periods

Thousands were displaced as apartment buildings were demolished Many ended up in congested working-class sections of east and north Paris The east and north sections are still crowded today

In these developments, we see the coming modern

city Washington, D.C., originally designed by a French planner