1. Central Place Theory and Models of Urban Development
Urban Geography
Central Place Theory and Models of Urban Development

2. Central Place Theory
First proposed by German Geographer Walter Christaller
Developed in 1930’s by Christaller’s studies of southern Germany

3. Christallers two conclusions:
1.) Towns of the same size will be evenly spaced. This means there will be many more small towns than large towns.
2.) The systems of towns is interdependent. If one town was eliminated, the other towns would have to adjust.

5. Urban Areas of the World

6. Percent Urban by Region

7. Inside the City “INSIDE THE SUBURBAN CIRCLE”
Land Values are high because of the large amounts of people wanting land and small amounts of land.
Because of the scarce land, cities started to go vertical and became compact.

8. Inside the City: The CBD
The best location in a city (& highest value) is where the most interchange would occur.
With the addition of mass transit lines and better transportation systems, land near these systems became valuable.
The name given to this land that is auctioned to the highest bidder is CBD--Central Business District.

9. Inside the City: CBD Cont…
The CBD is where the tallest office buildings and luxury hotels are.
Some spaces are not involved in this “bidding” of land: schools, parks and public buildings.
Less desirable land is used for factories and residential areas.

10. Land Values & Population Density
So where do people live if there is an auction for the best land in the CBD?
If affordable, people tend to live near the edges of the city. If people cannot afford to live further away from the city they tend to live in high density areas of the CBD.
Population density decreases as you get further away from the CBD.

11. Where are People Distributed Within Urban Areas
Three Models of Urban Structure
Concentric Zone
Sector
Multiple Nuclei

12. Three Models of Urban Structure
These models were developed to help explain where people tend to live in an urban area.
All models were developed to explain the social structure of Chicago.
Few physical features to interrupt growth other than Lake Michigan.
These three models are now applied to cities in the U.S. and other countries.

13. Concentric Zone Model Created in 1923 by sociologist E.W. Burgess.
According to the theory, a city grows outward from a central area in a series of concentric rings.
Size of the rings vary, but all appear in the same order.

14. Concentric Zone Theory
Center ring is the CBD, where nonresidential activities are concentrated.
2nd ring, zone in transition, contains industry and poor quality housing. Immigrants to the city first live in this zone.
3rd ring, zone of working class homes.
4th ring, newer and more spacious homes for middle-class families.
5th ring, commuters’ zone.

15. Concentric Zone Theory

16. Sector Model Developed in 1939 by Homer Hoyt.
City develops in a series of sectors instead of rings.
Certain areas of the city are more attractive usually because of an environmental factor.
As a city grows, activities expand outward in a wedge.
The best housing is found in a corridor extending from downtown to the outer edge.
Industry and retailing activities develop along good transportation lines.

17. Sector Model

18. Multiple Nuclei Model
Theory developed in 1945 by C.D. Harris and E.L. Ullman
Complex center with many centers.
Some areas attract certain businesses and other areas are not attractive. (Heavy industry and high-class housing.)

19. Multiple Nuclei Model

20. Suburbs
In the United States, Canada and most of Western Europe the word "suburb" usually refers to a separate municipality, borough or unincorporated area outside a central town or city.

21. Density Gradient
As you travel outward from the center of a city, you can watch the decline in the density at which people live.
Inner-city apartments (100 dwellings/acre)
Older suburbs, larger row houses (4 houses/acre)
New suburbs, detached house (.5 acre – 2.5 acres)

22. Density Gradient in Cleveland, OH

23. Suburb Population
Suburban population has grown much faster than the overall population of the U.S.
In % of pop. lived in suburbs, 40% in central cities, and 40% in rural/small towns.
In 2000, 50% of pop. lived in suburbs, 30% in central cities, and 20% in rural/small towns.

24. Suburbs are favorable
In most polls, 90% of people prefer suburbs to the inner-city.
WHY?

25. Attractions of Suburbs
A detached single-family home (instead of row houses or an apartment).
Home ownership
Space and privacy
More space for families
When income increased in 20th century, people could afford to live further from the city.

26. Suburban Growth Pattern (U.S. and U.K.)

27. Peripheral Model
An urban area consists of an inner city surrounded by large suburban residential and business areas tied together by a beltway, or loop.

28. Peripheral Model

29. Reasons for Suburban Growth in the U.S.
Increased use of automobile and freeway system.
FHA loans. Guaranteed by the govt. allowed people in the 1950s to buy a home.
The U.S. has encouraged the use of cars, the govt. has paid for 46,000 miles of interstate highway.
Up to ¼ of a city can be devoted to roads and parking.

30. Problems of Suburbs Long commutes, traffic jams, and “rush-hour”.
Communities segregate by class.
Urban sprawl—progressive spread of development over the landscape.
Roads and utilities must be built.
Sprawl wastes land. Developers do not develop adjacent land, they leave a pocket between city and new development.

31. % URBAN POPULATION
Cities with 2 million or more people. Most of the largest cities are now in LDCs.

32. The United States / Canadian Cities
Very different—not the same.
Differences exist between old eastern/new western
Differences exist between Canada/U.S.
Canadian city is more compact—higher densities.
C.C. is more dependent on mass transportation.
U.S. cities have greater distinct social patterns—“no white flight”.

33. Professionals in Glasgow
Top professionals in Glasgow, Scotland, are more likely to live near the
center of the city, in contrast to most U.S. cities.

34. Indianapolis: Ethnic Patterns
Fig : The distribution of minorities in Indianapolis is an example of a multiple nuclei model.

35. the African-American section of the city.
Dayton, Ohio, Inner City
Drug-related arrests (left) have been concentrated in the inner-west side of
the city. In the 2001 mayoral election, votes for Rhine McLin concentrated in
the African-American section of the city.

36. Western European Cities
Paris & London are primate cities. They are the political, economic and cultural centers.
Other cities in Germany and Italy have marks of their historical pass, some even back to Roman Times.

37. W. European cities more compact than U.S. Why?
City skylines tend to be low as a lot of buildings pre-date steel construction and elevators.
High density—W. Europe rely on mass transit, especially subways.
Automobile has become more important, but not even close to the U.S.
Home to work still close.
Social stratification of city is almost opposite of U.S. City.

38. Public Transport in Brussels
Fig : Brussels illustrates the integration of heavy rail and light rail in public transport.

39. Eastern European Very similar to W. Europe.
High densities
mass transit.
Due to communist control, CBD was for Gov’t use.
Many micro districts developed close to factories as they were built to house the workers.

40. Developing World
All have seen increase of “in-migration” from rural areas.
As a result almost, all have an outer ring of poor people with high densities and a low amount of public services.
Many have populations that cannot be supported by labor markets.
Colonized cities mark a comparison to Western cities.

41. The Latin America City “City life” is the cultural norm.
Majority of residents of Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile reside in cities.
Limited wealth has kept most commercial activity to CBD
transportation systems lead to the CBD.

42. Latin American City Model
Fig : In many Latin American cities, the wealthy live in the inner city and in a sector extending along a commercial spine.

43. Mexico City
Fig : The Aztec city of Tenochtitlán was built on an island in Lake Texcoco. Today poorer people live on a landfill in the former lakebed, and the elite live to the west.

44. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Fig : High income households in Rio de Janeiro live in the CBD and in a spine along the ocean. Low-income households often live in peripheral areas.

45. Asian/African City Many founded & developed by European Colonists.
Many Europeans built forts near rivers—then into open space.
Typical: 2 towns developed near fort—one of natives, one of Europeans.
Recently, expansion moved middle class to outer ring.