Site & Situation

In the early approaches, site and situation, and urban morphology were relevant.
For the first, studies

for the early twentieth century were concerned primarily with the physical characteristics as the
determining factors in the location and development of settlements. This concern has been long
superseded in all but historical and some rural studies as cities have grown in both size and complexity.
Original location factors have tended to be overridden by the scale of subsequent urbanization or have
greatly declined in importance as the form and function of urban areas have changed.
Situation and location Physical qualities as a determining element in the location and growth of towns
were the focus of research in the early twentieth century. As cities have increased in size and
complexity, this concern has long been surpassed in all except historical and certain rural studies. The
magnitude of later urbanization has tended to override or considerably diminish the impact of original
location determinants as the form and function of urban areas have altered.
Site and situation is an approach that sought...

Secondly, urban morphology was an important root of urban geography that developed particularly
strongly in German universities in the early twentieth century. It was a descriptive approach that
sought to understand urban development through examination of the phases of growth of urban
areas. Using evidence from buildings and the size of buildings plots, it aimed to classify urban
areas according to their phases of growth. This approach came in for heavy criticism in the 1950s
and 1960s as more scientific approaches came to dominate the subject and the social science generally.
Recent work has concentrated on the role of architects, planners and other urban managers in
the production of the form and design of urban areas. Nevertheless at mid-twentieth century the
focus of urban geography was primarily on land use and related issues.
•Site is the exact location of a city, you can find it on a map. The situation of a city relates to its
surrounding features, both human-made and natural.
•The situation of the city includes characteristics that are external to the settlement.
•The site is the land that the city was built upon. The situation contains the surrounding areas of the
city.
Are Site and Situation Still Important Today?

We saw that in the case of Paris, a city’s site and situation play an important role in its growth and
these factors play out again and again throughout the history of urban development as factors in
making great cities the prosperous urban centers that they are today. This will be true as we
move forward as well. Whether a city grows or becomes another victim of urban decay, still
depends on their site and situation. Technological advances in transportation and communication
may help to mitigate some of the negative aspects of a city’s site or situation, by bringing countries
closer together.
For many, site and situation may seem similar and easy to confuse. The easiest way to differentiate
them is to remember that the site of an area is its exact location and the situation describes its
surrounding areas and physical features. Favorable features of site and situation will ensure that
the city will be able to thrive and survive. The site of a city that has access to a good water supply,
abundant sources of fuel, natural barriers against invasion and a temperate climate all point to
progress and growth. The situation of the city in relation to other settlements in the region is
advantageous to its future.
The Importance of Site and Situation in Today's Cities
As nations around the world continue to develop, their sites and situations will continue
to play a large role in whether or not they will be successful. Though today's ease of
transportation and new technologies such as the Internet are bringing nations closer
together, the physical landscape of an area, as well as its location in relation to its
desired market, will still play a large role in whether or not a particular area will grow to
become the next great world city.
Site
The "site" is the actual location of a settlement on the Earth, and the term includes the
physical characteristics of the landscape specific to the area. Site factors include
landforms, climate, vegetation, availability of water, soil quality, minerals, and wildlife.
Examples of site factors include whether an area is protected by mountains or if there is
a natural harbor present.
Situation
The "situation" is defined as the location of a place relative to its surroundings and other
places. Factors included in an area's situation include the accessibility of the location,
the extent of a place's connections with another, and how close an area may be to raw
materials if they are not located specifically on the site.
Factors:
The study of settlement patterns is one of the most important aspects of settlement geography.
Settlements can range in size from a small village with a few hundred residents to a metropolitan
city of over one million people. Geographers often study the reasons behind why such cities
develop where they do and what factors lead to their becoming a large city over time or
remaining as a small village. Some of the reasons behind these patterns are thought of in terms of
the area's site and its situation - two of the most important concepts in the study of rural and
urban geography.
Site Factors: Situation Factors

• reliable water supply • route centre
• away from flood risks • gap town
• defence • lowest bridging point on a river
• building materials (stone or wood) • port
• fertile land • minerals for export
• sheltered from winds
• fuel supply (wood)
• south-facing slope (aspect)
• flat land, easy to build on
• natural harbour

Site & Situation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Site & Situation

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Site & Situation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

In the early approaches, site and situation, and urban morphology were relevant.

For the first, studies

Site and situation is an approach that sought...

Are Site and Situation Still Important Today?

Site Factors: Situation Factors

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.