Introduction to Urban Environments

Fertile Crescent had the right animals and plants for domestication and crops. (wheat, barley, cows, goats sheep and pigs) Also the Indus valley of Pakistan/India and the Yangtze in China These areas were the first “civilisations”

The word civilisation comes from the latin civis meaning citizen of a city. Complex societies with, division of labour and social hierarchy tend to establish permanent settlements.

Urbanisation and the Industrial Revolution Starting in Britain in the late eighteenth century led to increased urbanisation in Britain and then continental Europe and North America.

Cities became centres of production, as manufacturing increased rapidly and employment in agriculture decreased. Manchester “Cottonopolis” – The first industrial city

Urbanisation and the Population Explosion Now we can see global levels of urbanisation. NICs and LEDCs are urbanising at a very fast rate. Combination of Natural increase and Rural to Urban migration. Dhaka Bangladesh 1950 – 417, – 2.1 million 2000 – 12.5 million million

For the first time in human history the majority of the world’s population now live in cities. h/world/2006/urbanisation/default. stm We are modifying huge areas of land, not just for cities, but also for the agricultural land, quarrying for building materials, energy resources which supply these cities. The ecological footprint of cities is far bigger than their land area..

Urban environments are created by us. They reflect our culture, our beliefs, our values. They range in size from small towns to mega cities with over 10 million inhabitants We could create perfect urban environments But urban environments develop through a combination of many factors, planned / unplanned, sometimes conflicting, always changing. The tyranny of small decisions.

What would be your ideal settlement? Piero della Francesca - Ideal City, Galleria Nazionale at Urbino

The island of Utopia as described by Thomas Moore

Palmanova - Italy

The City of the Sun as described by T. Campanella

Think about… Size Number of inhabitants Density Types of housing Economic activity Layout of the city (morphology) Transportation Recreation Public spaces Energy Location Urban services Residential areas Employment Opportunities Entertainments Policing and security Waste Water Age groups Ethnic groups Function Tenure Private/public transport Produce an annotated sketch map of your ideal urban environment

What is the environmental impact of increased urbanisation? Can cities be sustainable? (live in a way which satisfies our needs but does not compromise future generations ability to meet their needs) Do cities satisfy peoples needs and wants? Are people happier living in cities or the countryside? Is there an optimum size for a city? What is the impact of primate mega cities? Can urban processes be controlled or managed? What is the future for the urban poor?