The land use model which has evolved is true mainly for Brazilian cities,
although it can be applied to other cities in the world, including Zomba in
Malawi. The main characteristics of the model of Sao Paulo (below) are:
1. The Central Business District; contains the main businesses, shopping
centres and entertainment of the urban area.
2. High status housing surrounds the CBD. This includes high-rise expensive
modern apartment blocks, many with their own security guards. This pattern is
the opposite to that of cities in MEDCs. Inner city districts of MEDCs date back
to the factories and tenement blocks of the Industrial Revolution, whereas the
area surrounding the CBD in LEDCs dates from colonial times when it housed the
colony's administrators and Governor. It consequently has the infrastructure -
electricity, telephones, sewerage, water, etc. not found in other parts of the
urban area.
3. Surrounding the high-quality residential area is poor to medium quality
housing which started out as a shanty town. It has now been provided with some
basic amenities (the periferia).
4. Shanty towns (spontaneous squatter settlements or favellas) are found on
the steep hillsides, swamps or waste land surrounding the city.
5. Modern factories are found along main roads, sometimes with favellas in
between.
There are also areas on the periphery of low-cost housing funded by the
government which have basic amenities. In addition there is suburban high
status, low density housing for executive and professional classes.
