Urban and Economic Geography Working Group | The Virtual Geography Department

Machine Space: A Case Study in Urbanization and Environment

This module is part of the Virtual Geography Department Project and has been prepared for the Infrastructure Issues Working Group of the Project. These materials may be used for study, research, and education, but please credit the author and source: Kenneth E. Foote and Shannon Crum, The Virtual Geography Department Project , The University of Texas at Austin.

This module has been peer reviewed and classroom tested (not really, since this is a sample module). To make suggestions and corrections please contact The Virtual Geography Department Project at k.foote@colorado.edu .

Facts of Publication

Abstract: This module contains an exercise in which students are asked to consider how much of a city's built environment is occupied by machine space and whether the amount of machine space is correlated with landuse or distance from the city center. The module presents background information on the concept of Machine Space and the effects urbanization has on the environment, then includes step-by-step instructions for conducting a case study near the student's home or school. This module can be adapted to a wide range of grade levels and may be presented as an introductory GIS exercise, although it can be completed without a GIS or computer component (see Module Overview and Instructor's Notes).

Machine Space: A Case Study in Urbanization and Environment

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