The sprawl of Los Angeles

The image given here clearly represents the sprawling nature of Los Angeles as a post-modern city. Los Angeles is often regarded as the model for the post-modern city, as it envelops each aspect of defining the post-modern city. The first aspect, that of fragmentation and decentralisation, is echoed in LA through the lack of a centre that is evident in other modern cities such as New York. The fact that LA is a culmination of the merging of many towns and cities eradicates the possibility for a centre. Whereas New York is able to claim cultural centres such as Times Square and economically through Wall Street, Los Angeles does not present this same sense of centre. Perhaps the most prominent feature of LA is the area of Hollywood and its supposed centrality for the film industry, but the area of Hollywood itself does not contain more than one studio, henceforth creating an illusion of centrality.

The planned nature of New York is a stark comparison to the 'unplanned' layout of Los Angeles, a city that spreads across the surrounding landscape in any direction. In this way, Los Angeles can be seen to parallel Las Vegas. Whereas New York builds up, Los Angeles builds outwards, shown through the use of skyscrapers in New York, and increasing small town areas around the outskirts of Los Angeles.

The lack of street life in Los Angeles is another defining characteristic. It is more common to drive around the city of Los Angeles - evident in the use of highways and freeways intersecting the city - than it is to walk, and the constant use of technology as a means of less human interaction is a defining aspect of the post-modern city.

The sprawling landscape of Los Angeles is another defining aspect of the post-modern city. The city and its centre, such as high streets, are replaced by strip malls and expansive housing developments, and which leads on to the idea of themed space and the idea that all cities look the same. As previously stated, Los Angeles and Las Vegas bear similarities in their layout, and Las Vegas is seen as the epitome of a themed space. This individuality of Las Vegas is interestingly becoming imitated by other areas of modern cities however, such as Times Square in New York.