Urban Form & Characteristics (AQA A Level Geography)

Topography - Physical features influence growth of cities - steep slopes can be difficult to build on but provide excellent views and exclusivity (Hollywood etc.) or segregation for poorer housing (slums of Mexico City). Vast, flat plains encourages low density building due to space.

Resources - Lakes, rivers and seas limits urban growth (Chicago, Southampton etc.) or encourages growth along its course and coast (London, Los Angeles etc.). City cores (retail and business) are centred around the waterfront and ports, rather than centralised (Liverpool, Cardiff, and Toronto). Natural resources lead to production and growth of urban areas - coal (Cardiff), wood (Chicago), steel (Sheffield)

Ground type - Some types of land are easier to build on than others. Chicago is built on swampland and was raised above the ground, allowing expansion and growth. Venice is also built on swampland, but canals are used as roads and growth is limited. 

Planning - Can be planned or unplanned. Many LDE cities expand due to informal settlements (slums) such as Mumbai or Mexico City, whereas, London or Singapore are very much planned to include open spaces, leisure facilities and infrastructure. Planning is needed to manage population increase along with their needs and demands for mobility and housing. Governments can block or encourage development and political policies influence success or failure of the urban form. 

Infrastructure - Rise in technology requires electronic infrastructure and work hubs in centres or science parks on urban fringes. New developments follow access routes (motorways etc.) but also form linear growth as a result (Southampton). 

Value of land - Urban cores usually have the highest land value and are considered the most profitable by retail and the food industry. Land value decreases outwards due to availability of space for development. However, 'shocks' in the economy (pandemics, recession, outward migration etc.) can change the desirability and therefore, the land value of urban areas. 

Housing value increases with distance from the centre

Housing is high density, high rise, with wages unable to keep up with rents and costs

Many areas of poverty, segregation and ethnic minorities

Whilst land value is lower in rural and semi-rural areas, houses are usually well spaced, larger, newer and more expensive. This attracts families, the wealthy and high wage earners, keeping areas exclusive and high priced. 

Housing estates are constructed with higher density living but with gardens and good access routes. Prices are still high, but can be more affordable than closer to inner city

Housing value decreases with distance

Housing is high density, but there is also high cost, luxury housing to accommodate wealthy immigrants and business executives

There are usually zones of medium-cost housing which may have begun as informal  but gradually been improved through government planning and grants

Low-cost housing on outskirts/fringes of the city with informal housing and limited (if any) access to services - water and power

Poverty, informal employment with low-wages are common. Poorer migrants tend to settle here 

Science parks, retail parks, super and hypermarkets along with light industry are constructed here. Land is cheaper and has good access to other parts of the country

Industrial areas are built along transport links and centred around informal settlements to attract high turn over of cheap labour

Unaffected by industrial development 

Lower socio-economic groups surround the urban elite

Centre is dominated by historic buildings with elite residential zones 

Delineation between residential and commercial districts is blurred

Similar activities and people are grouped together

Clear pathway of building arrangement due to land value decrease from centre to periphery 

CBD is central 

Zoning of housing and industry

Manufacturing based industry

Urban mosaic

Many smaller zones and no central CBD

Social polarisation 

Multi-nodal structure

CBD is less dominant 

Service sector dominant 

Public transport development is integral in planning between housing and transport hubs

Suburbanisation increased decentralisation from the 1950s along with increased road use

Major road networks

Housing centred around rail and bus routes 

Movement of industry and retail to fringes

Grown from colonial past with little industrialisation

Rapid growth recently has forced changes to older established zones and peripheral growth

Lack of resources and planning, urban form is chaotic

Political, cultural and historic dominant CBD

Industry is centred around transport routes

Middle class housing on periphery with good road networks

Marginal land is dominate by informal housing

Based on a classless ideology of everyone lives in the same type of housing regardless of location, wealth and employment

Block housing is provided near to employment and services

CBD is administrative and politically dominant

CBD is imposing with prestigious buildings, central squares and police presence

Homogenous blocks of high-rise flats

Neighbourhoods have low order, local services

Districts see high order good services and entertainment