Key Urban Development Terminology
Classified in Geography
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- Adarve
- An impasse or cul-de-sac.
- Periurban Area or Belt
- An area located on the outskirts of a city, combining different land uses as a result of the concentration of various activities.
- Suburban Area
- An area characterized by a continuous gradation between rural and urban landscapes.
- Faubourg
- A suburb or an area outside the formal precincts of a town to which it administratively or historically belongs.
- Old Town / Historic Center
- The oldest part of a town or city.
- CBD (Central Business District)
- The commercial and business core of an urban area.
- City Center
- The original, nuclear part of a city, which concentrates many of its primary functions.
- City
- A human settlement with a significant population concentration, the definition of which varies by country.
- Dormitory Town
- A residential neighborhood or village near a larger city, from which its population commutes daily to work in the city and returns primarily to sleep.
- Garden City
- A type of planned urban settlement designed with a focus on green spaces, environmental quality, and community.
- Urban Location
- The specific geographical site or spatial position on which a city is built.
- Urban Expansion (Ensanche)
- Land or space, often planned, dedicated to the outward growth of traditional cities, enabling development beyond former city walls or limits.
- Urban Functions
- The various activities (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial, administrative) that take place within a city and its sphere of influence or catchment area.
- Urban Morphology
- The study and description of the physical form and structure of cities, including street patterns, building types, and land use, as reflected in the city plan.
- Urban Periphery
- The outer space or zone that surrounds a city, often characterized by mixed land uses and lower density.
- PGOU (Plan General de Ordenación Urbana)
- A comprehensive urban management and planning document that regulates land use and outlines the future development of a city. This is a Spanish acronym for General Urban Development Plan.
- Irregular Plan
- A city layout that has developed organically over time without a preconceived geometric design or formal planning.
- Grid Plan (or Gridiron Plan)
- An urban layout where streets are arranged in a rectilinear pattern, intersecting at right angles to form square or rectangular blocks.
- Radiocentric Plan (or Radial-Concentric Plan)
- A city plan characterized by streets radiating outwards from a central point, often intersected by concentric ring roads, resembling a spiderweb.
- Urban Plan
- A graphical representation, typically a large-scale map, showing the layout of a city, including streets, blocks, buildings, and open spaces.
- Urban Regeneration
- A set of coordinated actions and policies aimed at the revitalization and improvement of a deteriorated or underutilized urban sector, focusing on economic, social, and physical recovery.
- Second Home
- A residential property owned or rented for occasional use, not as a primary residence, typically by a household that lives elsewhere.
- Suburb
- A residential district or area located on the outskirts of a city or large town, often characterized by lower density housing than the urban core.