World Building - Urban Planning

World Building - Human Geography and Urban Planning.
Week Of May 08, 2004

This is just the beginning. I will finish it in a day or two. I woke up with a migraine, so writing not a good activity today.

World Building – Human Geography and Urban Planning.

Human Geography- Human geography is the study of how people populate the land. In this case, we will be looking at how they populate the cities and towns of your world.

The story of how a town grows:

At first there were a few people who gathered together in a place near the river, and other essential factors for their living and working needs. Since people generally like to live close to where they work, our settlers lived right behind their work, or right above it. But, soon new people and new businesses moved in, thinking that this little town idea was a good one. People began to come in from their farms to trade for goods. Travelers and traders began to stop over on their way to other towns and cities. Soon there were crowds, traffic, noise, and pollution from all the businesses and the people who lived there decided they needed a better situation for their families. So, just outside the center of town they built houses and had yards and all sorts of happy things.

But then, the center grew larger and soon it was on their doorsteps again, so they sold those houses to the poorer people who couldn’t afford to live where there was no noise or pollution, and they moved out one more step. But then it was so far to go down to the center of town to shop, so smaller shops opened in these neighborhoods to save the people from having to go all that way for their needs. These small business pockets got larger and the same thing that happened with the downtown and the homes had to move further back.

Eventually a system of concentric circles is created with the poor people inside the smallest inner circle. The further out you go in the rings, the further up the wealth climbs. But then something weird happens. With all the pressure taken off the downtown area, and the poor diffusing out to the pockets of business here and there around the city, the downtown becomes desirable again. Because of its history and many amenities, people begin moving back. Young, pretty wealthy people who turn the warehouses into studio apartments and lofts make downtown the trendy place to live.

Something else that happens in the life of our city. Groups of people from different parts of the world move into the city. To maintain ties with their culture and their people, they form enclaves—usually in that second or third circle of diffusion. These communities turn these areas into places full rich culture and flavor—little flowers in the mass, neatly mowed lawn of the cityscape.

Been there, read that:

The Thieves Quarter: Okay… how many of us have read a story that features a thieves quarter where all the unsavory types of the city hang out? If I never hear the words thieves quarter or thieves guild again as long as I live, it will be too soon. Now, before all of you who have written a story featuring these two overdone contrivances begin to stone me, I will explain why the Thieves Quarter is a ridiculous concept as far as I am concerned.

First of all—it is called the Thieves Quarter. It is never called the “Don’t worry, come on down here, no one will steal your money and jewels” Quarter. People are not dumb enough to fill their pockets with cash and head on down to the Thieves Quarter. If I was a thief, I would live somewhere rich and classy. I would do nothing thief like and I would dress decidedly un-like a thief. Secondly, the only people there are thieves and the police. Hmmm… when something gets stolen, where are the police going to look first? Hmmm,,, If you are living in the Thieves Quarter, your odds of being arrested are pretty good. Thirdly, this part of the city is always squalid and seedy. Why would anyone want to live there?

It is definitely time for some new conventions. The real world and the above mentioned way people have of inhabiting a city is a good place to start because your readers are used to this sort of organization—it is something that they can relate to and feel comfortable with.

Okay. Now we know how people settle a city over time, let’s start building a city.

What is the focal point of any populated center whether it be a modern city or a medieval one? The King’s Palace or government buildings? Nope. A hint: They are one of the first things you see advertised on signs as you enter any city or town.

The church or temple: Yep. The center of town is the center of their faith. Don’t believe me, check out any episode of Little House on the Prairie.