Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 9.28
Lomé, Togo.
The city's landscape refl ects a clear
dichotomy between the “haves” and “have-nots.”
© Alexander B. Murphy.
zone. For example, Portland, Oregon, is often described
as the best planned city in North America because it is
built around free transportation in the central city to dis-
courage the use of cars. Portland is a compact city with
offi ce buildings and residential zones in close proximity
to encourage walking, biking, and public transportation.
On the other hand, Houston, Texas, is the only large city
that does not have zoning laws on the topics. Houstonites
voted against the creation of zoning laws three different
times (most recently in 1993).
In addition to government planning and zoning
laws, people shape cities by choosing to live in certain
neighborhoods and by opening stores, houses of worship,
and even sporting fi elds that refl ect the values of their cul-
ture. If you wander through neighborhoods of any city
and pay close attention, you can see differences in the
existence of single-family or multifamily homes, in par-
ticular styles of construction and building materials, in the
distance between houses, in the nature and style of vegeta-
tion around houses, in the distance between the houses
and the streets, and even in the amount of space devoted
to automobile movement and storage.
Comparing and contrasting the urban cultural
landscapes of two cities helps us understand the different
social and cultural forces at play. Compare Figure 9.28
with Figure 9.29. Analyze each picture and guess which
Figure 9.29
Tokyo, Japan.
The city's land-
scape refl ects the presence of a large
middle class in a densely populated
city.
© iStockphoto.
