5.4.2 Dwelling Styles of the Megacities from a Regional
Perspective
Tallying megacities by region, we find that most of them are based in monsoon Asia.
According to LandScan 2007 data (LandScan 2007), there are nine cities in monsoon
Asia that traditionally possessed a sparsely populated, low-rise urban fabric. Megacities require vast tracts of fertile land to feed their massive populations. Many
megacities are located in the temperate and subtropical zones, near large rivers or the
ocean. This indicates that the residents find the comfort levels of these cities
acceptable and the transportation suitably convenient. When examining the
LandScan (2007) data on cities with more than 4 million people, again, many of
the 16 highly populated cities are in monsoon Asia, which accounts for 47% (25 out
of 53) of the cities with 4 million and above inhabitants worldwide (Table 5.1).
In each region, it is evident that suburban sprawl occurred around the peripheries
of the megacities. Megacities consume additional land from forests, unused fields,
farmlands, and villages. In monsoon Asia, megacities are surrounded by lush
farmland. In the mid-latitude arid region, megacities are generally surrounded by
farmland, pasture, and desert. In the frigid zone, New York and Moscow are
surrounded by sterile land and forest. Los Angeles, which is a little arid and warm,
is surrounded by fields and bush. Megacities in Latin America are surrounded by
vast areas of farmland.
Economic development spurs the continued growth of urban areas. When megacities grow according to an official plan, the additional residential areas are typically
Western-style garden cities or multistory apartment districts. The former involves
low-density villa-type housing; for example, in New Delhi, crop fields are being
developed and replaced with what are being called “farms” but involve low-rise
mansions and attached gardens or pools. The latter style, multistory apartment
districts, involves condominiums or high-rise apartments. It was a style that began
in New York in 1880 after the technology of the elevator had been developed, and it
spread to other large cities, for example, Makati in metro Manila in the Philippines,
with the number of apartment stories increasing. These two types of development are
not influenced by the regional features but spread globally with technological
developments that overcame the resource limitations for development, such as
those imposed by insufficient land or water.
When unstructured or informal urban development occurs, the new residential
areas typically develop in the local traditional style of each region. For example, as
the village of Kampong was absorbed into Jakarta, the surrounding farmlands were
converted into residential areas. The rural village of Kampong had the sparse,
low-rise wooden farmhouses that are typical of monsoon Asia. After urbanization,
they became more densely arranged, but are still relatively low houses surrounded by
grasslands.
In contrast, greater Cairo absorbed numerous surrounding areas of farmland and
traditional high-density villages. The layout of these villages developed organically
over the years, and the farmland was arranged in long strips to allow for delivery of
5 Regional Diversity and Sustainability of Megacities in Global Historical. . .
95
Perspective
Tallying megacities by region, we find that most of them are based in monsoon Asia.
According to LandScan 2007 data (LandScan 2007), there are nine cities in monsoon
Asia that traditionally possessed a sparsely populated, low-rise urban fabric. Megacities require vast tracts of fertile land to feed their massive populations. Many
megacities are located in the temperate and subtropical zones, near large rivers or the
ocean. This indicates that the residents find the comfort levels of these cities
acceptable and the transportation suitably convenient. When examining the
LandScan (2007) data on cities with more than 4 million people, again, many of
the 16 highly populated cities are in monsoon Asia, which accounts for 47% (25 out
of 53) of the cities with 4 million and above inhabitants worldwide (Table 5.1).
In each region, it is evident that suburban sprawl occurred around the peripheries
of the megacities. Megacities consume additional land from forests, unused fields,
farmlands, and villages. In monsoon Asia, megacities are surrounded by lush
farmland. In the mid-latitude arid region, megacities are generally surrounded by
farmland, pasture, and desert. In the frigid zone, New York and Moscow are
surrounded by sterile land and forest. Los Angeles, which is a little arid and warm,
is surrounded by fields and bush. Megacities in Latin America are surrounded by
vast areas of farmland.
Economic development spurs the continued growth of urban areas. When megacities grow according to an official plan, the additional residential areas are typically
Western-style garden cities or multistory apartment districts. The former involves
low-density villa-type housing; for example, in New Delhi, crop fields are being
developed and replaced with what are being called “farms” but involve low-rise
mansions and attached gardens or pools. The latter style, multistory apartment
districts, involves condominiums or high-rise apartments. It was a style that began
in New York in 1880 after the technology of the elevator had been developed, and it
spread to other large cities, for example, Makati in metro Manila in the Philippines,
with the number of apartment stories increasing. These two types of development are
not influenced by the regional features but spread globally with technological
developments that overcame the resource limitations for development, such as
those imposed by insufficient land or water.
When unstructured or informal urban development occurs, the new residential
areas typically develop in the local traditional style of each region. For example, as
the village of Kampong was absorbed into Jakarta, the surrounding farmlands were
converted into residential areas. The rural village of Kampong had the sparse,
low-rise wooden farmhouses that are typical of monsoon Asia. After urbanization,
they became more densely arranged, but are still relatively low houses surrounded by
grasslands.
In contrast, greater Cairo absorbed numerous surrounding areas of farmland and
traditional high-density villages. The layout of these villages developed organically
over the years, and the farmland was arranged in long strips to allow for delivery of
5 Regional Diversity and Sustainability of Megacities in Global Historical. . .
95