The Post-Modern City (AQA A Level Geography)

Postmodernism

• Cities are dynamic and work at evolving to new space and form

• Many cities, particularly HDE’s, are moving away from the typical patterns of functional land use and architectural uniformity of the post-industrial/globalised urban form

• These post-modern western cities, are focused on service and knowledge, with a return of middle-income people from the suburbs into city centres

• It accompanies gentrification, upgrades to old or rundown housing and heritage quarters into trendy, flagship homes and developments 

• Demolishing of ‘older’ parts of a city’s core to replace with new cores or self-contained, gated (fortress) urban developments to reduce car usage and emissions

• It attempts to emphasise new ideas in design, living space and community but social and economic inequalities are growing

• All cities have elements of post-modernism e.g. the Gherkin and Cheesegrater in London, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao or 'Antilia', a private home in South Mumbai and 'The Imperial', a twin-tower skyscraper in Mumbai

Characteristics of a Postmodern City

• Postmodernism reflects social and economic changes from late 20th century in most western cities

• There are a number of characteristics associated with these urban changes:

  • Multiple centres with varying purposes

  • Focus on tertiary and quaternary industries

  • Buildings are less uniform

  • Planning is focused on city form over functionality

  • Increased ethnic diversity, but wider social and economic inequalities

Post-Modern Cities