Urbanization and
Sustainable Cities
Pongthep Suwanwaree, Ph.D.
Urbanization
 What is a city?
 Rural area
 Urban area
 Village
 City
 Megacity
 Core regions
Causes of Urban Growth
 Immigration push factors
 Immigration pull factors
 Government policies
Current Urban problems
 The Developing World
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Traffic and Congestion
Air Pollution
Sewer Systems & Water Pollution
Housing
 Slums
 Shantytowns or Squatter Towns
 The Developed World
 Areas of Progress
 Urban Renewal
City Planning
 Garden Cities and New Towns
 Cities of the Furture
Urban Redesign
 Limit city size ~30,000-50,000
 Determine in advance where development
will take place
 Turn shopping malls into real city centers
 Locate everyday shopping and services
near residential areas
 Increase jobs in the community
 Encourage walking or the use of small,
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low-speed, energy-efficient vehicles
Promote more diverse, flexible housing as
alternatives to conventional, detached
single-family houses
Create housing “superblocks”
Make cities more self-sustainable by
growing food locally, recycling wastes etc.
Invite public participation in
decisionmaking