Field work Spielberk Office Centre Worksheet Names:..... Department of Geography, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic 1
Duration: Methods and forms used: 4 hours Group work under the supervision of a teacher Aims of the activity: Evaluate the function of the city and apply theoretical knowledge in practice, create a topographic sketch for defined area, evaluate the strategic importance of selected administrative buildings, assess the socio-economic use of the area and transport services, compare the pros and cons of the area in terms of its impact on human activity and suggest possible changes, compare the visitor rate and demographic structure of the clients of two specialized stores. Aids: pen/pencil, crayons, worksheet, protractor, ruler, calculator Motivational text: Field work (education) is not limited to the countryside only. Geographer should know processes taking place in the cities. They underwent significant changes in the past 25 years. Cities are no longer just a place of living and production. Especially the function of services has significantly strengthened. The area of Spielberk Office Centre is an example of a newly built complex, which houses a number of subsidiaries of multinational companies, banks, offices etc. It is a living organism that had to be incorporated into existing structures of the city. The activities in this worksheet will reveal how successful it was. Note: You are working at a busy place. Pay attention to the safety of your movement. Department of Geography, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic 2
A. Plan of Spielberk Office Centre 1. Create your own plan of the area, differentiate types of buildings (offices, commercial services, or housing and other activities) in different colours. Name the streets that define and enclose the area. Department of Geography, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic 3
2. Measure or calculate the area of the bodies of water in the area describe the method of measurement/estimation used. Area in square metres: The method of measurement/calculation:............... B. Significant buildings 1. Identify in two ways the height of the three tallest buildings describe the method of measurement/estimation. Write the names of the buildings (if you don t know the name, call them according to the typical visual element). Name of the building:.. Height in metres (1): Height in metres (2): Name of the building:.. Height in metres (1): Height in metres (2): Name of the building:.. Height in metres (1): Height in metres (2): Department of Geography, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic 4
The measurement procedure:.......................... 2. Find out the names of at least 10 major companies situated in the area. If it is possible find out what they deal with and in which building is the company located. Name of the company Activity of the company Building Department of Geography, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic 5
C. Function of Spielberk Office Centre 1. Count the number of parking places for cars and bicycles. What is the parking fee for cars? According to the license plates determine, what the share of cars from other regions than South-Moravian is. Parking places for cars:..... Cost of parking per hour:..... Number of cars parked, in total:..... those with license plate with B : those with another license plate:.. Parking places for bicycles:.... 2. Estimate how many people work in the area. What is the prevailing age group of employees in the area? (15-40 or 41 and more). Why? Number of employees:.. The predominance of young/old, reason:.... 3. Find out what types of public transport serve the area. What is the frequency of service in the morning peak hours (6 9 am) and in the off peak hours? Use timetables that are at the nearest bus stop. Types of public transport:.. Service frequency during peak hours:....... Service frequency during off peak hours:......... Department of Geography, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic 6
4. Summarize the tour in the following points what are the pros and cons of the area for people who occur there every day (work there) or come to do shopping. What would you suggest to change? (max. 5) Positives Negatives Change proposals D. Blackout Imagine being an employee of a company residing in the tallest building of the Spielberk office Centre. Your office is located in the top floor of the building. Suddenly, the electricity drops and there is no other power source in the building. Via the SMS from the Brno task force you learn that the power is out in the whole city for at least 48 hours before it can be restored. What will you do? What should the city or the office centre owner provide in case of power absence lasting several days while there were people working? (Note: You live outside of Brno, circa 45 min by train, your car is parked outside your house, your partner is on vacation, parents work in Prague, battery of you mobile phone will last only 2 more hours and you forgot the charger at home). Department of Geography, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic 7
Department of Geography, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic 8
E. Hornbach versus Bauhaus 1. Estimate what is the area of the shopping areas of the two stores? 2. Select a safe place from where you can watch the junction between Hornbach and Bauhaus stores. Count how many cars turn to Hornbach and to Bauhaus within 15 minutes. 3. Move to the front of a business centre and count how many people visit the store within the specified time period (15 minutes). Write down the how they got to the shopping centre (by car, bus, on foot, in another way). Determine according to the license plates the share of shoppers from regions other than South-Moravian. What is the demographic structure of visitors in terms of age and gender? Store Hornbach Bauhaus Area in sq. metres Number of cars arriving at the time:.... License plates of the cars The number of shoppers at the time young woman young man young woman young man (15 minutes):... old woman old man old woman old man. child child Department of Geography, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic 9