Geology and the Urban Environment

1
Geology and the Urban Environment

• The Development of Cities

2
Geology and the Urban Environment

• The Origin of Cities
• Agricultural Revolution (10,000 BP)
• Location of cities
• Floodplains
• River terraces
• Proximity to sacred shrines
• Available natural resources

3
Geology and the Urban Environment

• The Origin of Cities
• Agricultural Revolution (10,000 BP)
• Rise of cities in the Middle East
• Erratic rainfall in Middle East
• Improvements in irrigation technology and plowing
  methods permitted accumulation of agricultural
  surpluses

4
Geology and the Urban Environment

• The Origin of Cities
• Case Study Mesopotamia and Greece
• Mesopotamia
• Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
• Physical boundaries easily penetrated
• Physical environment influenced their vision of
  their gods- harsh and punishing

5
(No Transcript)
6
Geology and the Urban Environment

• The Origin of Cities
• Case Study Mesopotamia and Greece
• Greece
• Physical environment influenced the size and form
  of cities and the worldview of its inhabitants
• Rise of classical Greek city-state and local
  sovereignty
• Power residing the state and in the law comes
  from the citizens themselves

7
Geology and the Urban Environment

• Criteria for Choosing the Site of a City
• Spiritual-Physical Aspects
• Site had to be pleasing to the gods
• Sites were often selected based on physical
  environment
• Topographic configuration
• Spring
• Unique stones

8
Geology and the Urban Environment

• Criteria for Choosing the Site of a City
• Spiritual-Physical Aspects
• Athens
• Characteristics of sites for holy shrines
• Enclosed valley with view of conical hills on
  axis with the shrine to the north or south
• View of higher, double-peaked mountain some
  distance beyond the conical hill

9
Geology and the Urban Environment

• Criteria for Choosing the Site of a City
• Spiritual-Physical Aspects
• Athens
• Lies in in the Attica Plain
• Temple of Athena Polias was constructed on the
  Acropolis
• Horns of Hymettos provide double-peaked mountain
• Cones of Kaisariani are conical hills

10
(No Transcript)
11
(No Transcript)
12
Geology and the Urban Environment

• Criteria for Choosing the Site of a City
• Physical Environment
• Water
• Topography
• Soils
• Energy
• Minerals

13
Geology and the Urban Environment

• Criteria for Choosing the Site of a City
• Material Aspects
• Case Study Topography
• Ancient Palestine
• Cities built on hilltops
• Secret tunnels

14
(No Transcript)
15
Geology and the Urban Environment

• Criteria for Choosing the Site of a City
• Physical Environment
• Case Study - Topography/Geology
• Athens
• Lies in middle of Attica Plain
• Rocky hiils rise abruptly from the Attica Plain
• Attica clay
• Marble
• Silver ore
• Cephissus River
• Natural harbor at Piraeus

16
(No Transcript)
17
(No Transcript)
18
Geology and the Urban Environment

• Criteria for Choosing the Site of a City
• Physical Environment
• Case Study - Water Supply
• Mesopotamia
• 2000 BC disputes over water between Lagash and
  Umma
• Shatt-el-Hai canal built to connect Tigris and
  Euphrates
• Hamurai - 1700 BC
• Sennacherib - 705 681

19
(No Transcript)
20
(No Transcript)
21
Geology and the Urban Environment

• Criteria for Choosing the Site of a City
• Physical Environment
• Case Study - Water Supply
• Ancient Jerusalem
• Hezekiahs Tunnel
• Gihon Spring
• Second Temple
• Aqueducts

22
(No Transcript)
23
(No Transcript)
24
Geology and the Urban Environment

• Criteria for Choosing the Site of a City
• Physical Environment
• Case Study - Water Supply
• Las Vegas, NV
• Bath, England

25
Geology and the Urban Environment

• Criteria for Choosing the Site of a City
• Physical Environment
• Case Study Topography/Water Supply
• London
• Paris
• Rome
• Los Angeles
• Toronto

26
(No Transcript)
27
(No Transcript)
28
(No Transcript)
29
(No Transcript)
30
Geology and the Urban Environment

• Criteria for Choosing the Site of a City
• Physical Environment
• Case Study Topography/Coastal Configuration
• Boston - St. Charles River
• New York City - Hudson River
• Philadelphia - Delaware River
• New Orleans - Mississippi River

31
Geology and the Urban Environment

• Criteria for Choosing the Site of a City
• Physical Environment
• Case Study Energy Sources
• Niagara Falls, NY
• Birmingham, AL
• Butte, MT
• Gary Indiana

32
(No Transcript)
33
(No Transcript)