Cities and Urban Land Use

Core ideas

UrbanizationUrban HierarchyCity ModelsSuburbanizationInfrastructureSustainabilityGentrification

High-priority distinctions

• Site vs. situation of cities: local physical setting versus connections and relative location.
• CBD vs. edge city: traditional commercial core versus suburban concentration of jobs and retail.
• Concentric, sector, and multiple-nuclei models: different simplified explanations of urban land use.
• Urban renewal vs. gentrification: redevelopment processes are related, but gentrification emphasizes neighborhood change and possible displacement.
• Benefit vs. cost: investment and services may improve while affordability and belonging decline for existing residents.

Apply it

Urban questions reward attention to scale. A citywide average can hide neighborhood inequality. Name the process, use the evidence, and explain who benefits, who bears costs, and why.