SES 874 ISSUES IN URBAN DESIGN PLANNING AND

MANAGEMENT

PRESENTER: Geofrey Yator

QUESTION:

Spatial and Local Theories of urban Development

Introduction

Spatial is relating to space Urbanization is the movement of population from rural to

urban areas A theory is an organized system of accepted knowledge

that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena.

Urbanization is a relatively new global issue In 1950 only 30% of the world’s population was urbanized

and 50% in 2009 lived in urban centres The big question is how do towns come about to be?

Theories explaining the emergence of towns

Central place theory Examples. Polders of the Netherlands, the Fens of

East Anglia in the UK Developed by the German geographer Walter

Christaller in 1933 It explains the reasons behind the distribution

patterns, size, and number of cities and towns. Tested in Southern Germany and came to the

conclusion that people gather together in cities to share goods and ideas and that they

Central place theory

Assumptions humans will always purchase goods from the

closest place unbounded isotropic (all flat), homogeneous,

limitless surface evenly distributed population all settlements are equidistant and exist in a

triangular lattice pattern evenly distributed resources

Central place theory

Public choice theory

Advanced by Paul Peterson in his 1981 book, City Limits

States that urban politicians and governing regimes are subordinate to the overall economic principles that force cities to compete to capture new investment and capital.

The competitive nature of cities encourages the business elite and politicians to favour new development

Theories explaining how towns are arrangedGrid model/Hippodamian plan

Examples; The city of Priene Proposed by Hippodamus of Miletus who is

considered the father of rational city planning The center of the city contains the agora (Market

place), theaters, and temples. Private rooms surround the city’s public arenas.

The plan can be laid out uniformly over any kind of terrain since it’s based on angles and measurements.

Grid model/Hippodamian plan

Hippodamian plan /Grid Model used in Priene city

Concentric Zone model

Also known as The Burgess Model, The Bull's Eye Model

Developed in the 1920's by the urban sociologist Ernest Burgess.

The model portrays how cities social groups are spatially arranged in a series of rings.

The size of the rings may vary, but the order always remains the same.

Concentric Zone model

Concentric Zone model

1. Central Business District (CBD) - This area of the city is a non-residential area and it’s where businesses are. This area s called downtown ,a lot of sky scrapers houses government institutions, businesses, stadiums, and restaurants

2. Zone of Transition- the zone of transition contains industry and has poorer-quality housing available.Created by subdividing larger houses into apartments

Concentric Zone model

3. Zone of the working class- This area contains modest older houses occupied by stable, working class families. A large percentage of the people in this area rent.

4. Zone of better residence- This zone contains newer and more spacious houses. Mostly families in the middle-class live in this zone.

5.Commuter’s Zone/Suburbs- This area is located beyond the build-up area of the city. Mostly upper class residents live in this area...\..\Desktop\Models\Burgess circle model.htm

Concentric Zone model

Shortcomings It assumes an isotropic plain land may restrict growth of certain sectors The model does not fit polycentric cities It describes the peculiar American

geography, where the inner city is poor while suburbs are wealthy; the converse is the norm elsewhere.

Sector model.

Chicago and Newcastle upon Tyne/Newcastle Developed in 1939 by land economist Homer

Hoyt It is a model of the internal structure of cities. Social groups are arranged around a series of

sectors, or wedges radiating out from the central business district (CBD) and centred on major transportation lines

low-income households to be near railroad lines, and commercial establishments to be along business thoroughfares

Stresses the importance of transportation corridors. Sees growth of various urban activities as expanding along roads, rivers, or train routes.

Modeling Cities: Hoyt

Sector model.

Shortcomings Applies well to some towns only Low cost housing is near industry and

transportation proving Hoyt’s model Theory based on 20th century and does not take

into account cars which make commerce easier With cars, people can live anywhere and further

from the city

Multiple Nuclei method

The Multiple Nuclei Model is an ecological model created by Chauncy Harris and Edward Ullman in the 1945

City grows from several independent points rather than from one central business district.

As these expand, they merge to form a single urban area.

Ports, universities, airports and parks also act as nodes Based on the idea that people have greater movement

due to increased car ownership.

Multiple nuclei model

The model has four geographic principles– Certain activities require highly specialised facilities

• Accessible transportation for a factory

• Large areas of open land for a housing tract

– Certain activities cluster because they profit from mutual association

– Certain activities repel each other and will not be found in the same area

– Certain activities could not make a profit if they paid the high rent of the most desirable locations

Stresses the importance of multiple nodes of activity, not a single CBD. Ports, airports, universities attract certain uses while repelling others.

Modeling Cities: Harris-Ullman

Multiple nuclei model

Assumptions Land is Flat Even Distribution of

Resources Even Distribution of

people in Residential areas

Even Transportation Costs

Criticisms Each zone displays a

significant degree of internal heterogeneity

and not homogeneity No consideration of

influence of physical relief and government policy.

Not applicable to oriental cities with different cultural, economic and political backgrounds

Urban Realms Model

Francisco Bay areaDeveloped by James E. Vance Jr. in the 1960’s Each realm is a separate economic, social and

political entity that is linked together to form a larger metro framework

suburbs are within the sphere of influence of the central city and its metropolitan CBD

Now urban realms have become, so large they even have exurbs, not just suburbs

Urban realm depends on Overall size of the

metropolitan region Amount of economic

activity in each urban realm

Topography and major land features

Internal accessibility of each realm

Core frame model

The Core frame model is a model showing the urban structure of the Central Business District of a town or city.

The model includes an inner core where land is expensive and used intensively

The outer core and frame have lower land values and are less intensively developed. T

various land uses are linked to the bid rent theory

Core frame model

Bid rent theory

geographical economic theory that refers to how the price and demand for real estate change as the distance from the central business district (CBD)

This is based upon the idea that retail establishments wish to maximize their profitability, so they are much more willing to pay more for land close to the CBD and less for land further away from this area.

The amount they are willing to pay is called "bid rent".

Bid rent theory

Irregular pattern model Arrangement of Public space that

characterizes the stage of "Transition from village to city" especially in Third World.

This urban model is due to lack of planning or construction and illegal without a specific order.

Includes blocks with no fixed order, or permanent and temporary structures. S

structures are not related to an urban centres near the place

Howard gardensLetchworth Garden City, Welwyn Garden city Developed by Sir Ebenezer Howard (1898) Inspired by the idea of ideal/Utopian cities Inspired works on Model villages by Robert Owen

and Model industrial towns by Buckingham. Comprised of Town, Country and Town-country

interactions

Howard gardens

THE END