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Questions and Answers
What is the term used to describe the central area of a city with a concentration of business activities?
What is the primary advantage of grid models in urban planning?
What is the name of the model that describes the city as a series of concentric rings, each home to a different group and social function?
In the Concentric Zone Model, what type of housing is typically found in the third ring?
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Why did urban planners move away from grid models in the 1960s?
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What is a limitation of the Concentric Zone Model?
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What is the primary characteristic of the grid model of urban structure?
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Which urban structure model is based on the idea that cities develop in wedge-shaped sectors?
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What is the main assumption of the multiple nuclei model?
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What is the primary focus of the concentric ring model?
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What is the main purpose of the irregular pattern model?
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What is urban structure primarily concerned with?
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Study Notes
Urban Structure Models
- The grid model divides land into streets that run at right angles to each other, forming a grid, and promotes development.
- Grid plans are more common in North American cities than in European cities.
- The grid model facilitates development by allowing developers to subdivide and auction off large parcels of land, and yields regular lots that maximize use and minimize boundary disputes.
- However, grids can be dangerous because long, straight roads allow faster automobile traffic.
Concentric Ring/Zone Model
- The concentric ring/zone model was postulated by sociologist Ernest Burgess in 1924, based on his observations of Chicago.
- The model draws on human ecology theories, which compare the city to an ecosystem.
- Urban residents naturally sort themselves into five concentric rings or ecological niches, depending on class and cultural assimilation.
- The five rings are:
- Zone A: Central business district (CBD)
- Zone B: Zone of transition, containing industry and poorer-quality housing
- Zone C: Zone of independent workers’ homes
- Zone D: Zone of newer and larger houses occupied by the middle-class
- Zone E: Commuter’s zone, residential suburbs
Limitations of the Concentric Ring/Zone Model
- The model's general applicability has been challenged, as it does not accurately describe urban geography in other countries.
- The model fails to account for topographical and physical features of the landscape.
- Advances in transportation and communication have blurred the zones in new cities.
Other Urban Structure Models
- Sectoral model: assumes that the city develops in wedge-shaped sectors instead of rings, with certain areas being more attractive for various activities.
- Multiple nuclei model: assumes that car ownership granted people more mobility and led to the development of specialized regional centers within cities.
- Irregular pattern model: developed to better explain urban structure in the Third World, where there is often a lack of planning or construction.
Key Terms
- Central business district (CBD): the central area of a city in which a concentration of certain retail and business activities takes place.
- Urban open space: open space areas for parks, green spaces, and other open areas.
- Human ecology: describes the city as analogous to an ecosystem, with natural processes of adaptation and assimilation.
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Description
Learn about the different models of urban structure, including grid, sectoral, and concentric ring models, and analyze their similarities and differences using human ecology theory.
