Investigation title: To what extent does
Leicester fit the characteristics of a post-
modern Western city?
Eeshika Patel
,Table of Contents
INVESTIGATION TITLE: TO WHAT EXTENT DOES LEICESTER FIT THE CHARACTERISTICS
OF A POST-MODERN WESTERN CITY? ..................................................................................... 0
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 2
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 3
HOW THE TITLE LINKS TO THE SPECIFICATION CONTENT :............................................................................. 3
HYPOTHESIS ........................................................................................................................................... 3
SUB-QUESTIONS...................................................................................................................................... 4
LOCATION OF FIELDWORK AND JUSTIFICATION FOR CHOOSING LEICESTER ................................................... 5
GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................ 6
METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................................... 10
SAMPLING STRATEGY ........................................................................................................................... 10
ROUTE MAP ........................................................................................................................................ 11
PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION................................................................................................................. 12
PRIMARY DATA TABLE ......................................................................................................................... 14
SECONDARY DATA TABLES .................................................................................................................... 15
EVALUATION OF DATA COLLECTION ...................................................................................................... 17
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS ................................................................................... 18
HOUSING TYPE AND HOUSING QUALITY ................................................................................................. 18
HOUSING AGE (APPROXIMATE) .............................................................................................................. 21
TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN COUNTS ........................................................................................................ 23
CAR AGE (SPEARMAN’S RANK) ............................................................................................................... 24
BUILDING USE ALONG TRANSECT............................................................................................................ 25
HOUSEHOLD DEPRIVATION AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY .............................................................................. 26
ANNOTATED PHOTOGRAPHS................................................................................................................... 27
CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................................................... 32
Does Leicester fit the social characteristics of a Post-Modern Western City (PMWC)? ....................... 32
Does Leicester exhibit the economic characteristics of a Post-Modern Western City (PMWC)?............ 33
Are there Edge cities present near Leicester? ............................................................................. 33
Is there Post-modern Architecture present in Leicester? ............................................................... 33
To what extent does Leicester fit the characteristics of a PMWC? .................................................. 34
EVALUATION ........................................................................................................................... 35
Strengths ............................................................................................................................. 35
Limitations .......................................................................................................................... 35
Further development ............................................................................................................. 35
ETHICAL DIMENSIONS ............................................................................................................ 36
SOURCE EVALUATION ............................................................................................................ 37
TABLE OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................. 40
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................ 41
HOUSING SURVEY ................................................................................................................................. 41
TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN COUNTS ........................................................................................................ 41
CAR AGE SURVEY................................................................................................................................. 42
, BUILDING USE SURVEY .......................................................................................................................... 43
Executive Summary
My investigation focused on Post Modern Western Cities. These cities represent the urban
form characteristics of late 20th century/ 21st century cities. This is through changed social
and economic characteristics, modern architecture and urban form. This investigation focused
on whether Leicester fit the Social and Economic Characteristics of them. To collect primary
data, a transect was produced from the City Centre to the Knighton Suburbs. I collected
primary data from Building use surveys, housing surveys, car age surveys, traffic and
pedestrian counts. As well as that, I researched Secondary data that could be used to make a
conclusion.
Overall, I concluded that Leicester largely fit the Economic characteristics and slightly fit the
social characteristics. There is Post modern western architecture present and qualities, mainly
present in the City Centre.
, Introduction
How the title links to the specification content:
The investigation will be on the characteristics of Post-modern western cities and whether
Leicester fits that. This links to the Urban Forms in the specification. 3.2.3.2 Urban Forms.
Contemporary characteristics of mega/world cities. Urban characteristics in contrasting
settings. Physical and human factors in urban forms. Spatial patterns of land use, economic
inequality, social segregation and cultural diversity in contrasting urban areas, and the factors
that influence them. New urban landscapes: town centre mixed developments, cultural and
heritage quarters, fortress developments, gentrified areas, edge cities. The concept of the
post-modern western city.
Hypothesis
Leicester exhibits the characteristics of a Post-modern western city (PMWC) in the city
centre where there have been more funding and recent developments. However, moving away
from the city centre and to the suburbs, there are fewer characteristics of a PMWC, and older
buildings. This will be seen in the building and housing surveys as the height of the buildings
will decrease and the age of the building will increase away from the city centre.
Furthermore, the conditions of the buildings are expected to be better maintained where there
are wealthier areas, away from the city centre. The building use should show many retail and
residential buildings, with the number of residential increasing as you go further from the city
centre. The traffic and pedestrian counts can show high levels of footfall in retail areas as
well as increased car ownership. The car age survey will reveal areas where residents can
afford newer cars, showing areas of wealth, which I expect to be in the suburban areas.
Leicester fit the characteristics of a post-
modern Western city?
Eeshika Patel
,Table of Contents
INVESTIGATION TITLE: TO WHAT EXTENT DOES LEICESTER FIT THE CHARACTERISTICS
OF A POST-MODERN WESTERN CITY? ..................................................................................... 0
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 2
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 3
HOW THE TITLE LINKS TO THE SPECIFICATION CONTENT :............................................................................. 3
HYPOTHESIS ........................................................................................................................................... 3
SUB-QUESTIONS...................................................................................................................................... 4
LOCATION OF FIELDWORK AND JUSTIFICATION FOR CHOOSING LEICESTER ................................................... 5
GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................ 6
METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................................... 10
SAMPLING STRATEGY ........................................................................................................................... 10
ROUTE MAP ........................................................................................................................................ 11
PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION................................................................................................................. 12
PRIMARY DATA TABLE ......................................................................................................................... 14
SECONDARY DATA TABLES .................................................................................................................... 15
EVALUATION OF DATA COLLECTION ...................................................................................................... 17
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS ................................................................................... 18
HOUSING TYPE AND HOUSING QUALITY ................................................................................................. 18
HOUSING AGE (APPROXIMATE) .............................................................................................................. 21
TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN COUNTS ........................................................................................................ 23
CAR AGE (SPEARMAN’S RANK) ............................................................................................................... 24
BUILDING USE ALONG TRANSECT............................................................................................................ 25
HOUSEHOLD DEPRIVATION AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY .............................................................................. 26
ANNOTATED PHOTOGRAPHS................................................................................................................... 27
CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................................................... 32
Does Leicester fit the social characteristics of a Post-Modern Western City (PMWC)? ....................... 32
Does Leicester exhibit the economic characteristics of a Post-Modern Western City (PMWC)?............ 33
Are there Edge cities present near Leicester? ............................................................................. 33
Is there Post-modern Architecture present in Leicester? ............................................................... 33
To what extent does Leicester fit the characteristics of a PMWC? .................................................. 34
EVALUATION ........................................................................................................................... 35
Strengths ............................................................................................................................. 35
Limitations .......................................................................................................................... 35
Further development ............................................................................................................. 35
ETHICAL DIMENSIONS ............................................................................................................ 36
SOURCE EVALUATION ............................................................................................................ 37
TABLE OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................. 40
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................ 41
HOUSING SURVEY ................................................................................................................................. 41
TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN COUNTS ........................................................................................................ 41
CAR AGE SURVEY................................................................................................................................. 42
, BUILDING USE SURVEY .......................................................................................................................... 43
Executive Summary
My investigation focused on Post Modern Western Cities. These cities represent the urban
form characteristics of late 20th century/ 21st century cities. This is through changed social
and economic characteristics, modern architecture and urban form. This investigation focused
on whether Leicester fit the Social and Economic Characteristics of them. To collect primary
data, a transect was produced from the City Centre to the Knighton Suburbs. I collected
primary data from Building use surveys, housing surveys, car age surveys, traffic and
pedestrian counts. As well as that, I researched Secondary data that could be used to make a
conclusion.
Overall, I concluded that Leicester largely fit the Economic characteristics and slightly fit the
social characteristics. There is Post modern western architecture present and qualities, mainly
present in the City Centre.
, Introduction
How the title links to the specification content:
The investigation will be on the characteristics of Post-modern western cities and whether
Leicester fits that. This links to the Urban Forms in the specification. 3.2.3.2 Urban Forms.
Contemporary characteristics of mega/world cities. Urban characteristics in contrasting
settings. Physical and human factors in urban forms. Spatial patterns of land use, economic
inequality, social segregation and cultural diversity in contrasting urban areas, and the factors
that influence them. New urban landscapes: town centre mixed developments, cultural and
heritage quarters, fortress developments, gentrified areas, edge cities. The concept of the
post-modern western city.
Hypothesis
Leicester exhibits the characteristics of a Post-modern western city (PMWC) in the city
centre where there have been more funding and recent developments. However, moving away
from the city centre and to the suburbs, there are fewer characteristics of a PMWC, and older
buildings. This will be seen in the building and housing surveys as the height of the buildings
will decrease and the age of the building will increase away from the city centre.
Furthermore, the conditions of the buildings are expected to be better maintained where there
are wealthier areas, away from the city centre. The building use should show many retail and
residential buildings, with the number of residential increasing as you go further from the city
centre. The traffic and pedestrian counts can show high levels of footfall in retail areas as
well as increased car ownership. The car age survey will reveal areas where residents can
afford newer cars, showing areas of wealth, which I expect to be in the suburban areas.
