Urban Planning Theories and Central Place Theory

Urban and regional planning theories and issues are key concepts in the study of cities and regions.
Planning concepts cover basic principles of urban and regional development.

Central place theory, by Walter Christaller, describes the spatial arrangement of settlements (villages, towns, and cities).
Central places are settlements engaged in trade which provides goods and services to surrounding areas.
Settlements form a hierarchy based on population size and function.
Larger settlements offer more specialized services than smaller ones (hierarchy based on functions).
Settlements have hinterlands, which are the tributary areas serviced by a given central place.
Market areas (hinterlands) overlap and are based on service functions
Services associated with Settlements are described in terms of order and size (higher vs lower).
The range of sale is determined by the distance people are willing to travel to buy goods and services.
Location and transport play important roles in centrality due to considerations of transport and communication costs.

Developed by William Alonso, this theory explains the spatial distribution of land use within an urban or settlement.
The central business district (CBD), or location of highest commerce, has the highest value.
Urban activities are distributed in proximity to the CBD with diminishing value as distance increases.
Firms substitute land for capital, increasing profits, leading to higher rent.
Increased land prices and profit maximization correlate with land proximity to the CBD.

Developed by Ernest W. Burgess, this model explains the radial growth/expansion of cities around a center (CBD).
The growth of the city is characterized by 5 concentric zones originating from the center.
The model reflects an incremental growth pattern.
Cities' growth involves gradual colonization into successive zones (expanding outward from the core)
Increased distance from the center correlates to lower land rent (values), accessibility, and density.

Developed by Harris and Ullman, the model argues that cities have multiple centers rather than a single CBD.
Activity sectors and functions are spread in relation to other activity or development centers.
Specific sectors form distinct nuclei that act independently or collectively.
Cities' growth is not uniform, rather diversified growth occurs from multiple development points which can be based on industries, recreation, or other factors.
Certain functions require unique facilities.
Certain activities cluster for mutual profit (association).
Activities that clash may not coexist in the same area due to competing demands for space/resources

Developed by Homer Hoyt, it suggests that cities grow in sectors along transportation routes.
The model shows that development within the city extends outwards along prominent transport routes or lines from central business districts.
Land values diminish further from transportation lines.
The influence of transportation corridors affects land usage leading to a sectorial (or wedge-like) arrangement of specific land-uses on or along transport corridors.

Ribbon development involves urban growth along transportation corridors
Commercial and residential zones developed along transport routes such as roads or railways

The core frame model focuses on the Central Business District (CBD) and surrounding areas.
It examines how different activities (transportation services, retail, administration) are distributed within the inner core and outer portions of the CBD based on land value.
Various commercial and residential functions influence land values and development density in relation to the CBD.

Metro Manila is a complex urban area, demonstrating multiple nuclei, potentially influenced by historical development or activities.
This area has a unique mix of historic, cultural, and commercial features that are scattered across the city.

This model describes a metropolitan area's fragmented development into multiple centers.
The model encompasses a metropolitan area, or an urban region (or network of interconnected cities), and its surrounding areas.

The model incorporates elements of previous theories to provide a more comprehensive view of urban structure
It demonstrates the overlapping and diverse nature of urban development by suggesting the varying spatial distribution of land usage.

A model that reverses the traditional pattern of urban development, typically showing high-status or wealthy areas concentrated near the central city, with lower-income areas in the outer rings.

A model of urban development characterized by spread-out growth, diverse suburban communities, and industrial activity occurring in suburban locations.

The model highlights how different characteristics of South and Southeast Asian Cities correlate, creating an integrated urban model.

This model focuses on the specific characteristics of Southeast Asian cities, noting unique aspects that differ from models developed for Western cities.

This model shows how residential areas are differentiated in Latin American cities.
The model highlights the spatial organization of Latin American cities focusing on the distribution of various activities, industries and residential populations, among other aspects.