Cities of the World 1900-COTW-OG

Getting the knowledge about the contemporary problems of selected cities and megacities in the World. Discussion of social, economic and political problems on selected examples. Each lecture a different city is presented and discussed.

Also presenting information on the creation of strategic city documents, what elements strategic documents should consist of, and what their structure and creation look like. Discussion of selected strategic documents based on examples of cities in highly developed countries.
Definitions of strategic documents will be presented as a well-thought-out action plan in some area in connection with the situations that occur in the environment, human resources, organizational, financial and technical and production potential taken into account. The strategy is comprehensive, it is a project for the functioning of the entire system. Main features of the strategy: indication of the main goals to be achieved under the strategy, specifying the way in which they are to be achieved (action plan), indication of the time horizon, indication of sources of financing and indication of strategy measures.

The lecture will also discuss innovative solutions in cities, including the basic types of innovative activities: marketing innovations, process innovations, product innovations and organizational innovations.

The phenomen of "urban sprawl" will be showed. This is a situation of – uncontrolled expansion of large cities. The urbanized areas created in this way are placed in opposition to the compact city, which is characterized by high investment density and multi-functionality.
The life cycle of the city will be also discussed. According to the concept of system maturation, the development of individual cities (urban agglomerations) is the cause and effect of long-term migration processes that bind them into city systems. At the national level, three distinct stages in the development of urban systems can be distinguished. Stage I - characterized by the expansion of dominant cities ("pritnate cities"), Stage II - the formation of city subsystems, around medium-sized cities, Stage III - growth of small towns and Stage IV – Reurbanization.

The Ullman and Harris city model (1945) will be also discussed during the lecture. More complex and realistic than the Burgess and Hoyt model.
Basic assumtions: Modern cities are more structured than Burgess and Hoyt. Cities do not grow from a single CBD center, but from many smaller centers (nucleus). Each of the smaller centers has the function of a growth point, but has a specific function - a financial centre, an administrative centre, a retail centre, and industrial centre). Over time, growth will be generated by each of the smaller centers, until each of the centers (nucleus) merges into one large urban center. The model of Ullman and Harris assumes maximum communication accessibility to the city center, separation of various functions of the urban tissue from each other, diversification in land prices.

Boston – the city of knowledge and universities. It is a leading scientific and economic center (finance, advanced technologies, biotechnology, arms industry, and information technology (about 50 universities and colleges). one of the oldest and culturally most important cities in the US. Boston is a leading scientific and economic center (finance and advanced technologies - biotechnology, the defense industry information technology (including laboratories and institutes of theoretical computer science, innovative media technologies and artificial intelligence, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). A city where much of the traffic has been moved underground. Parks, promenades, cafes, a student campus (without car traffic) have been built above the ground. 1/3 of Boston's residents use public transportation.

Miami – the green city, with the best conditions of living, good quality water and recycling programs. City is open for different cultures and diversity. Miami and its suburbs are located on a broad plain between the Everglades and Biscayne Bay from Lake Okeechobee southward to Florida Bay with elevation: 2 meters above sea level. Financial, commercial and culture center of US. According to Forbes – the cleanest city in US (quality of air, quality of drinking water, „green” areas, recycling programmes). Port of Miami is the world's largest cruise ship port, and is the headquarters of many of the world's largest cruise companies. Miami is home to one of the largest ports in the United States - "Cruise Capital of the World" - "Cargo Gateway of the Americas.

Medellín - the second largest city in Colombia has become known to be the most dangerous city in the world in 1991, with the highest homicide rate. Many violent actors fueled violence in the capital of Antioquia, not only the drug cartels, but also paramilitaries, bandas, guerrillas and the state army. Improvement of security in this city coincided with the mayor Fajardos term of office from 2004. The lecture discusses roots and reasons of violence but also the transformation of Medellin and so called Social Urbanism, as a tool of social and spatial intervention.

San Francisco - one of the most important and famous cities of the state of California. The city is located in an active seismic area, The San Andreas fault is responsible for earthquakes in this area. Nowadays, a large tourist destination known for its attractions, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz prison. In the case of this city the phenomen of suburbanization and the life cycle of the city.

Toronto - the largest city in Canada and the capital of the province of Ontario. The city serves as the economic and cultural capital of Canada. Interesting urban solutions of transportation mode in the city. The Divisional Strategy of Toronto will be showed. The document includes strategic goals and actions focused on four key areas: inclusion and equity, talent and innovation, space and access, operational excellence. According to strategy residents and industry partners needs to collaborate to achieve these strategic objectives, and to support the growth of a vibrant, creative and prosperous Toronto.

Paris – a French style development of the global metropolitan area. The development of a global metropolitan area, the capital of fashion, luxury and new technologies, will be presented against the background of historical conditions. The socio-spatial contrasts of the Paris metropolitan area will also be presented.

Warsaw – difficult transformations through centuries until now. The socio-spatial and physiognomic transformation of the city will be presented against the background of historical events up to the present day.

Berlin - the dynamics of the social and spatial transformations of the city (historical conditions, recent changes and the specificity of the revitalization process, gentrification and socio-spatial segregation).

Burges – development of the city due to cultural values. Medieval town with interesting history connected with the development of first hotels in Europe. European Capital of Culture from 2002. Large art collections from Groeninge museum, the historical center of Bruges is on the UNESCO list since 2000. For the city there is for tourist importance of medieval buildings, which are well-preserved. After and before COVID-19 pandemic buildings many events and festivals were organized in the city. Hotels and restaurants are often located in medieval rooms (special requirements for
hotels in historical buildings). A city with “unique cultural and architectural atmosphere”.

Moscow – Moscow's urbanization problems and transportation solutions in the form of city ring roads. Political and social conditions of the city's development. The main problems of the Moscow are: the social problems, transportation problems, environmental problems and the problems with spatial order. One of the environmental problems are connected due to forests are cut down due to the construction of suburban single-family housing estates (also for footpaths and roads leading to them). A large part of the forests next to bypasses and highways have been replaced mainly with warehouses (but also with shopping centers, car parks and hotels at airports), Moscow is becoming more and more dispersed - the so-called "urban sprawl" just like other European cities. Other environmental problems are connected to waste disposal problems, water purity problems, air pollution (smog in Moscow - especially in the summer). Socialist architecture: „monumentalism” - the huge scale of the buildings was to prove the greatness of the socialist idea and the power of the authorities. Regularity and symmetry - appearance of the façades – „socialist society and the state are equally well planned and organized”.

Sao Paulo – the largest city in South America and the southern hemisphere located in the southern part of Brazil, on the Tietê River. The city of contrast and slums. The city of social inequalities. Sao Paulo as a megacity. The São Paulo Metro (Metropolitano de São Paulo) is an underground railway system in the city. It consists of 5 active lines, has 62 stations and serves 3,4 millions passengers daily. There are about 1 600 favelas and squatter settlements, 1 900 cortiços (tenement houses, usually overcrowded).

Singapore - is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The city characterized by a multicultural population. The history and contemporary challenges of the island, city-state of Singapore will be shown. Ethnic diversity; characteristics of Peranakan identity as a hybrid, multiethnic culture will be disused with the persistence and change of ethnic districts. Land reclamation projects in Singapore, scale and methods will be shown with the implementation of the green city concept (theory and practice). Traditional architecture versus high rise buildings.

Bangkok - urbanization problems of Bangkok related to too high migration pressure, air pollution and too much car traffic.The term Bangkok usually refers to Metropolitan Region or to Proper Bangkok.There are five provinces surrounding the capital: Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Nakhom Pathom, Samut Sakhon and Notnthaburi – Proper Bangkok. The Extend Bangkok Metropolitan Region - (EBMR) - neighboring provinces: Ayutthaya, Chachoengsao, Sara Buri, Chonburi and Rayong. The city is competitive due to low taxes, low rental prices, higher salaries than in other regions in Thailand, lower maintenance costs than in other South-East Asian capitals and greater production capacity. Bangkok generates around 50% of Thailand's GDP and the city needs a large number of people to work in industry, especially textile industry.

Cairo – The lecture will show main Cairo's urbanization problems and the typology of slums. The proposed solutions related to the growing migratory pressure on the city will be discussed. Cairo accounts for 45% of Egypt's national GDP. The demographic structure of the population is very young (about 33% of Cairo's residents are under the age of 15). Natural population increase approx. 2% per year. A huge "grey economy" is observed in the city (half of Cairo's employed population is unregistered).

Sydney – the iconic city. It is the largest city in Australia and Oceania with a population over the 5 million inhabitants. The city ranked among the top ten cities in the world in terms of high quality of life. Sydney is an industrial, commercial, financial and transport hub. In city ¼ of Australian companies are registered. This will be also good example to discuss The Ullman and Harris city model (1945) will be also discussed during the lecture. More complex and realistic than the Burgess and Hoyt model.

Geneva - functional and spatial transformation of the city of Geneva at the end of the 20-th and beginning of 21-st century. The lecture will describe the functional and spatial transformation of the city of Geneva at the end of the 20-th and beginning of 21-st century (social and economic characteristics). Functional and spatial transformations in the city of will be presented, the process of revitalization of the buildings (revitalized buildings with the residential, commercial, financial or religious function).