In relation to land use patterns in Britain, discuss the contention that 'if we fail to learn from the mistakes of history we are doomed to repeat them'.

In relation to land use patterns in Britain, discuss the contention that 'if we fail to learn from the mistakes of history we are doomed to repeat them'. 'Land is a living entity: it is the foundation of all life and it is finite.'1 Land is Britain's most precious and irreplaceable natural resource yet has been under constant pressure to perform profitable uses especially with rapid population growth, and this economic priority has meant neglect, exploitation, and severe mismanagement of our land. Mistakes of land use patterns in Britain have been numerous, costly and unfortunately reoccurring, suggesting that mistakes made in the past have not been learned from. I will concentrate on three main areas of land use in Britain; forestry, agriculture and urban- highlighting key periods, which have proved detrimental to society and to the sustainability of the environment. The neglect of the Forests in 18th and 19th Century, the implications of over subsidised farming in relation to hedgerows, and the problems associated with high-rise housing in the 1960s and 70s. Although these examples seem broad and inconsistent, all present valuable lessons from which Britain can and should learn from to avoid similar mistakes in the future. 'Until the end of the 17th Century the history of Britain's woodlands was largely one of rapid and gradual destruction,' 2 mainly for Britain's

  • Word count: 1546
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Architecture, Building and Planning
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Can the rise of new monastic orders in the twelfth century and of mendicant orders in the thirteenth be explained in similar terms?

B. McEwan Can the rise of new monastic orders in the twelfth century and of mendicant orders in the thirteenth be explained in similar terms? In 1098 the Cistercians were founded when a group of monks led by their Abbot, Robert left the abbey of Molesmes and travelled to Citreaux. The Cistercians were the most significant new order since the rise of the Cluniacs in the tenth century and were followed by the Praemonstratensians who Norbert of Xanten founded in 1120. The Cistercians especially had a profound effect on the Church. The rise of these orders in the twelfth century was paralleled by the rise of the Franciscans and Dominicans in the thirteenth century. Francis of Assisi gained papal blessing for his order in 1209 and Dominic of Spain did so in 1216. It should not be surprising that the rise of such orders though separated by over a century can be explained in similar terms though of course with numerous qualifications and differences. The story of medieval monasticism is one of perpetual reform and perpetual decay. Without imposing a telelogy one can view the rise of the Franciscans as a symptom of the spiritual decline of the Cluniacs and the rise of the mendicants as a response to the increasing worldliness of the Franciscans. This can be explained in terms of Michels theory of oligarchy. The new orders require organization but as soon as one starts to organise

  • Word count: 1408
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Architecture, Building and Planning
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Set out the way in which the Industrial Revolution impacted on urban form and development

Set out the way in which the Industrial Revolution impacted on urban form and development The Industrial Revolution was a major turning point in history, a period in the late 18th and early 19th century of massive advancement in manufacturing, agriculture, transport and mining which all started in Britain but spread to the rest of Europe, America and eventually the rest of the world. These changes resulting from mechanisation had profound social, economic and cultural effects on nations. This essay will discuss the impacts specifically on the urban form and development of these newly industrialised nations. (Perkin 1969) One of the most defining features of the industrial revolution period in Britain was the socioeconomic development, the replacement of a labour economy by that of machines allowed for a general rise in the living standards for the majority across all classes. The National income per capita quadrupled in the 19th century, whether the working class really benefited from it is debateable but it cannot be denied their living standards were higher after 1850 than before 1790 (Neale 1966). However Perkin (1969) states that the rapid growth of the new industry and also of towns and cities during the Industrial revolution created new social problems and aggravated and expanded the scale of older social problems. There were fluctuations in employment to concentrated

  • Word count: 1726
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Architecture, Building and Planning
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Economics & Finance in Construction - Cost control techniques

Lindsay Berry 10/6/13 Unit 11 M3 Cost Control Techniques Different cost control techniques are used in feasibility studies of a project to assess and evaluate the pros and cons on the best technique to follow for a construction project. All construction projects are different in the way they are designed and constructed. The project method is very important in regards of decisions that have to be made when starting a construction project. There is a variety of cost control methods that are used for construction industry, that can suit the client’s needs and it’s all about what cost method works best with the project. Types of things that need to be taken into consideration to form a realistic budget, a schedule format that is properly assessed on the performance period, a clear and efficient design process that is responsive and forms a good documentation of reasonable quality, risk assessments and recognition on what is available to the owners organization and/or the kind of help available are all key inputs to a construction project. The kind of help available all depends on the business owner and how successful the business is itself. Types of Project Delivery Methods Project delivery methods are a system which is used by business owners and agencies for organizing and planning of: Financial design construction and development of a construction project

  • Word count: 2083
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Architecture, Building and Planning
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Identify an organisational problem with a project that your firm has been involved with.

Identify an organisational problem that you have witnessed in your firm or on a project in which you have been involved. Analyse the problem and the manner in which it was resolved, and; Suggest how, with the knowledge gained form this unit, you might have resolved it in a different manner. Company Brief: The Construction Company I work with deals with medium to large scale projects of varying disciplines. The projects involved are of high degree of Architectural and state of the Art projects requiring high skill and precision. As these projects are time bound involving Government and Political heads, any delay will cost the company large amount of money. With the ongoing recession and globalization there has been a dramatic shift in the construction industry. The shift is right from senior management to unskilled labor. During this time the in-house project team has undergone a significant change. There has been senior management roll over and the new management team is dynamic creating a turbulent environment. Project Brief: At one instance the company was awarded with a construction project of a high end condominium development. The project was of a high end and there were major stakeholders involved, which had a strict time and cost outlined in the contract. Sensing the priority of the project the company MD (Managing Director) suggested that the project should be

  • Word count: 2051
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Architecture, Building and Planning
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When Bargoed is mentioned in Penarth or anyway around Cardiff people mutter curses or giggle at it. But why?

Bargoed When Bargoed is mentioned in Penarth or anyway around Cardiff people mutter curses or giggle at it. But why? Is it the reason that it has a large crime reputation, or is that it is a largely working class town or is it the fact that is at the end of a train line and therefore must be an industrial wasteland. I find this an unfair assumption as I assume that the majority of the people that make uncomplimentary comments about the town have never ventured there and they have just heard the horror stories about the area, I on the other hand spent nine years of my life there and never heard the horror stories until I left. I remember once hearing someone say that they spent six hours in my home town and they claimed that they were the worst six of their life, I intend to prove all Bargoed's damning critics wrong. Bargoed is an ex mining town with the colliery at the bottom of the valley which is home to Bargoed and Aberbargoed. Bargoed was a rural town until the railway arrived and the colliery opened in 1903. Within seven years the mine employed two thousand workers. Today Bargoed has a well established shopping centre with a popular weekly market. A ten million pound reclamation scheme has removed many industrial scars from the town and created a country park. Bargoed has a population of around twenty five thousand. Bargoed is not a mine of talent (forgive the pun) but

  • Word count: 828
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Architecture, Building and Planning
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How would you distinguish between the idea of the ghetto and that of the urban village? Contrast the approaches of the Humanistic, Marxist and Positivist schools of thought on this issue.

How would you distinguish between the idea of the ghetto and that of the urban village? Contrast the approaches of the Humanistic, Marxist and Positivist schools of thought on this issue. The terms ghetto, slum, enclave, and urban village have often been used interchangeably in the literature on the segregation of migrant groups within the urban area. It is generally recognised however that the ghetto is in fact its very own phenomenon which is fundamentally different in its formation, structure and function. Within this essay I hope to identify and account for the differences between the ghetto and other terms for spatial formations of segregated immigrants. Furthermore I will analyse the different theoretical and ideological approaches to the subject matter as they produce very different ways of identifying the causes and understanding the internal and external workings of ghetto communities. There is considerable debate between the positivists and Marxists as to whether the ghetto is a product of racial factors or economic forces. Whilst the humanists look at the ways in which the ghetto community develops in response to the hostile wider society. An 'urban village' or 'ethnic enclave' is a residential district usually in the inner city that has a significant clustering of people of similar culture or ethnicity, but by no means has a homogenous population. Whilst there is

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Architecture, Building and Planning
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Did Horsforth change from an agricultural village into an industrial town

Michael Mitchell Local History Project Mr Murgatroyd 1y Did Horsforth change from an agricultural village into an industrial town We first of all take our relevant evidence such as the 1851 census to create of Horsforth in this year. The census is a primary source which displays all the people their occupations and where they lived in a certain year , this is very useful to us as it is primary , we can see it is quite reliable as we can back the layout of the town up with maps that we also have from this period , by looking at what most peoples occupations are , we can see what type of town it was , for example a farming village would contain many farm labourers and maps would show that there would be a mass of farmland , also we had a site visit to see whether there is any residual evidence from that period. We first have to establish what Horsforth was like before we can see whether there was change and what the catalysts were for it. The Stanhopes also built a church , 'the Bell Chapel' which we have evidence of the remains at the bottom of horsforth town street, but this was demolished in 1833 because of the building of St Margarets church on the hill as the growing importance of the church of England.This to me creates an image of a small village that didn't have a church and so must of not been an important town .Farming towns must have been second priority to

  • Word count: 1822
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Architecture, Building and Planning
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How do the processes linked to the urban property markets influence the social, economic and geographical patterns of modern cities?

How do the processes linked to the urban property markets influence the social, economic and geographical patterns of modern cities? The subject of this essay shall be, as stated above, an examination of the ways in which the urban property markets influence the patterns within cities. Such markets are not a naturally occurring laissez-faire phenomenon, but are manipulated and controlled in a variety of ways. Government, developers, powerful business persons, international (e.g. European) legislation and local pressure groups can all have an influence on the above markets. It is important to note that housing is not merely a physical phenomenon, but is also a social and personal one. It is notably the individuals personal, private sphere within a busy, crowded city. In the context of housing this space is known as defensible space, which is defined as Newman as space in which"latent territoriality and sense of community in the inhabitants can be translated into responsibility for ensuring a safe, productive, and well maintained living space..." Such space is necessary for the individual to feel settled and secure. Many processes are linked with the urban property markets. These include gentrification/developers, power struggles, the move from rented accommodation to owner occupation, gatekeepers, city politics e.g.the inclusion and exclusion of people, and residential

  • Word count: 2696
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Architecture, Building and Planning
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How accurate is it to describe the disturbances in British cities in the 1980s and 2001 as 'race riots'?

How accurate is it to describe the disturbances in British cities in the 1980s and 2001 as 'race riots'? The urban disturbances of the 1980s and 2001 have largely been described as 'race riots', however in order to review this claim accurately, one must gain an insight into the broader picture. A large percentage of the so-called 'race riot' reporting has been portrayed through the media, thus giving way to a degree of marjinalization in some areas. Underlying issues, historical events and recognised non-media reporting are also crucial factors. Although the disturbances in Brixton in 1981 continued for several days, it was in fact the urban unrest in the St. Paul's district of Bristol in April 1980 that set the precedent for a series of disorders during the 1980's (Rowe, M. 1995). Many have labelled these disturbances as 'riots', however whether they can actually be described as 'riots' remains an unanswered question (Kettle, M. 1982). English law defines a 'riot' in a very specific way and although the term is widely used, some argue that these disturbances do not have all the fundamental characteristics to define them as a 'true riot'. There is certainly strong evidence to suggest that these 'riots' were race related and were particularly focused on the police. Some argue that the disturbances were a direct result of the police's neglect of the well being of its

  • Word count: 1480
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Architecture, Building and Planning
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