Urban ModelsUrban Models

Chicago in 1920sChicago in 1920s

Concentric modelConcentric model

It was put forward by It was put forward by Ernest W. Ernest W. BurgessBurgess (sociologist) and his (sociologist) and his associates in 1920s.associates in 1920s.

It was based on It was based on empirical researchempirical research in a number of American cities, like in a number of American cities, like Chicago.Chicago.

Concepts of the modelConcepts of the model Burgess adopted the concepts used by Burgess adopted the concepts used by

plant ecologists (ideas of plant ecologists (ideas of competition, competition, dominance, invasion and successiondominance, invasion and succession))

within the city, people competes for within the city, people competes for limited space (COMPETITION) limited space (COMPETITION)

those who are best able to pay those who are best able to pay (DOMINANCE) achieve the most desirable (DOMINANCE) achieve the most desirable locations (INVASION and SUCCESSION). locations (INVASION and SUCCESSION).

those individuals and functions with the those individuals and functions with the lowest level of economic competence have lowest level of economic competence have the least choice, occupying the poorest the least choice, occupying the poorest locations.locations.

How did Chicago school How did Chicago school explain the city using urban explain the city using urban

ecology?ecology?1. Each zone in space represented a 1. Each zone in space represented a

distinct level in the moral orderdistinct level in the moral order

Distance from the CBD

Level in the moral hierarchy

2.2. For any given time, each ethnic For any given time, each ethnic group had its peculiar group had its peculiar geographical niche – its “natural geographical niche – its “natural place.”place.”

3.3. Change in location of a group Change in location of a group explained by “invasion and explained by “invasion and succession.”succession.”

Invasion and successionInvasion and succession This is caused by growth of city economThis is caused by growth of city econom

y & arrival of y & arrival of new migrantsnew migrants to the city. to the city. As the city grew, the CBD would exert prAs the city grew, the CBD would exert pr

essure on the zone immediately surrounessure on the zone immediately surrounding it i.e. the zone of transitionding it i.e. the zone of transition

Outward expansion of the CBD would inOutward expansion of the CBD would invade nearby residential areas causing thvade nearby residential areas causing them to expand outwards.em to expand outwards.

The process was thought to continue witThe process was thought to continue with each successive neighbourhood movinh each successive neighbourhood moving further from the CBD. g further from the CBD.

New immigrants would move into the chNew immigrants would move into the cheapest residential areas of the city. Wheeapest residential areas of the city. When they became economically established,n they became economically established, they would migrate outwards. they would migrate outwards.

Thus lower residential class moved to adThus lower residential class moved to adjacent neighbourhoods and more affluejacent neighbourhoods and more affluent residents moved further outwards. nt residents moved further outwards.

Bid-rent mechanismBid-rent mechanism

land value decreases with increasing land value decreases with increasing distance.distance.

the highest land value is at the city the highest land value is at the city centre because of keenest centre because of keenest competition.competition.

functional zoningfunctional zoning and and residential segregationresidential segregation

= within different areas of the city, = within different areas of the city, different single functions formed the different single functions formed the dominant element. dominant element.

Commuter’s zone

Middle class residential

Low class residential

Transition ZoneC.B.D.

Concentric Model

CBDCBD

at the at the heartheart of the city of the city forms the forms the commercial, social and commercial, social and

cultural hubcultural hub.. the the most accessiblemost accessible, at the focus of , at the focus of

urban transport networkurban transport network

Chicago’s Gold Coast 1930s

Chicago’s inner city “slums” 1920s

Zone in transitionZone in transition Surrounds the CBDSurrounds the CBD an area of ‘an area of ‘blightblight’, also called the ’, also called the twilight twilight

zonezone. . An area of An area of mixed land usesmixed land uses – wholesale, – wholesale,

light manufacturing, residentiallight manufacturing, residential Provides Provides cheap housingcheap housing for each new for each new

immigrant waveimmigrant wave the zone often characterized by slums, the zone often characterized by slums,

immigrant ghettoes, unstable and immigrant ghettoes, unstable and low low social groupssocial groups and crime. and crime.

poorest residential areas.poorest residential areas.

Zone of workingmen’s Zone of workingmen’s homeshomes

surrounds the transition zonesurrounds the transition zone has some of the older, often has some of the older, often terraced terraced

housinghousing areas of the city areas of the city occupied by workers who have left the occupied by workers who have left the

transition zone but who still transition zone but who still require ready require ready accessaccess to their places of work in the inner to their places of work in the inner zone. They left transition zone because zone. They left transition zone because they want better living conditions.they want better living conditions.

2nd generation immigrants form an 2nd generation immigrants form an important element of the pop. in this zone.important element of the pop. in this zone.

Zone of better residence Zone of better residence (middle-class housing)(middle-class housing)

usually usually single-family dwellingssingle-family dwellings in in semi-detached or detached housessemi-detached or detached houses

also some also some light industrylight industry in this in this zone, often in industrial estates.zone, often in industrial estates.

Commuter ZoneCommuter Zone

lies beyond the continuous built-up lies beyond the continuous built-up area of the town, at the area of the town, at the fringe of fringe of the urban areathe urban area..

consists of consists of discontinuous urban discontinuous urban settlementsettlement interspersed with interspersed with recreational facilities, woodland, recreational facilities, woodland, pastures. pastures.

is the zone of is the zone of high class residentialhigh class residential properties where people can afford properties where people can afford the the high costs of commutinghigh costs of commuting..

Major features of the modelMajor features of the model

Positive correlation of Positive correlation of socio-socio-economic statuseconomic status of households with of households with distance from the CBDdistance from the CBD. .

The more affluent households live at The more affluent households live at greater distance from the central city.greater distance from the central city.

The lower-status groups are to be The lower-status groups are to be found near the city centre and the found near the city centre and the high-status groups at its peripheryhigh-status groups at its periphery

Major features of the Major features of the modelmodel

Some districts are culturally distinct Some districts are culturally distinct and are occupied by people of similar and are occupied by people of similar race, language and socio-race, language and socio-economic statuseconomic status..

The idealized concentric zones would The idealized concentric zones would be modified by opposing factors like be modified by opposing factors like relief, micro-climate and relief, micro-climate and distribution of industriesdistribution of industries..

Early stage of urbanizationEarly stage of urbanization

People tended to reside near the CBD to People tended to reside near the CBD to minimize the distance travelled so as thminimize the distance travelled so as the transport coste transport cost

suburbanizationsuburbanization

As real incomes have risen and As real incomes have risen and better transportation has better transportation has increased mobility, this allows the increased mobility, this allows the separation of home and separation of home and workplaces. workplaces.

Wealthy people moved out of the Wealthy people moved out of the inner city which was later Invaded inner city which was later Invaded by poorer ethnic minorities due to by poorer ethnic minorities due to rising immigrants to the city. rising immigrants to the city.

To offset high land value in these To offset high land value in these near-city locations, they use only near-city locations, they use only small amount of land by living in small amount of land by living in high density apartments which high density apartments which make maximum use of expensive make maximum use of expensive land. land.

Occupied by wealthier people Occupied by wealthier people who could afford the higher who could afford the higher transport cost when moving transport cost when moving out of the city centre. out of the city centre.

Wealthy people can occupy Wealthy people can occupy larger amount of cheaper larger amount of cheaper residential land on the residential land on the periphery where they live in periphery where they live in detached dwellings and pay the detached dwellings and pay the high commuting costs to city high commuting costs to city centre. centre.

Results of suburbanizationResults of suburbanization

social segregationsocial segregation = creating particular = creating particular groups or classes which segregate groups or classes which segregate themselves from other groups. themselves from other groups.

poor people living close to the city centre poor people living close to the city centre on high value land, while more wealthy on high value land, while more wealthy people live on the periphery where land is people live on the periphery where land is generally cheaper.generally cheaper.

As reflected by the As reflected by the quality of housingquality of housing different in different in life styleslife styles + + quality of lifequality of life, ,

incomeincome and and social statussocial status

CriticismsCriticisms

The model considers The model considers ground floor ground floor functionsfunctions only, and little attention is only, and little attention is paid to the paid to the height of buildingsheight of buildings and and vertical variations of functionvertical variations of function..

The model suggests that there are The model suggests that there are sharp boundaries between the sharp boundaries between the functional zonesfunctional zones. In reality these . In reality these abrupt changes do not occur. abrupt changes do not occur.

CriticismsCriticisms

Concentric zones are not Concentric zones are not homogenoushomogenous but but heterogeneousheterogeneous

therefore, they are therefore, they are not distinctivenot distinctive and inevitably distorted by major and inevitably distorted by major transport axes and topography transport axes and topography features.features.

CriticismsCriticisms

Limited universalityLimited universality: it is limited “to a : it is limited “to a particular situation, at a particular time iparticular situation, at a particular time in a particular country” (Carter, 1976) n a particular country” (Carter, 1976)

The setting of the model was based on a The setting of the model was based on a particular particular historical historical & & cultural contextcultural context. .

It is most relevant to American cities in tIt is most relevant to American cities in the 1920s but is less relevant to other timhe 1920s but is less relevant to other times and other cities especially in ELDCs.es and other cities especially in ELDCs.

CriticismsCriticisms The The decline of the CBDdecline of the CBD

and the and the emergence of semergence of suburban business centuburban business centres res

Increasing level of Increasing level of publipublic intervention c intervention

Transport innovationTransport innovation

it has allowed many cenit has allowed many centres of tres of employmentemployment to g to grow outside the CBD due row outside the CBD due to increased mobility to increased mobility

large plots of land are olarge plots of land are only available in the urbanly available in the urban fringe, thus lower class n fringe, thus lower class residential areas are fouresidential areas are found in the outer zone whend in the outer zone where high class residential re high class residential areas are. areas are.

It enables low class residIt enables low class residents to move away from ents to move away from their place of work. their place of work.

CriticismsCriticisms

Use for understanding Use for understanding residentialresidential pattern better than pattern better than commercialcommercial and and industrial industrial land usesland uses

ContributionsContributions

It was the first attempt to analyse theIt was the first attempt to analyse the ininternal morphologyternal morphology of townof town

Burgess model has invaluable contributiBurgess model has invaluable contribution for on for residential land useresidential land use of a city. It s of a city. It suggests a process of urban growth that uggests a process of urban growth that might give rise to these.might give rise to these.

It provides a It provides a good conceptual framewogood conceptual frameworkrk for more detailed study of the comple for more detailed study of the complex urban land use.x urban land use.