Urban City Models

Concentric Zone Model

Created by Ernest Burgess; city grows in rings outward from CBD; zones: CBD → Transition → Working-class → Residential → Commuter; based on Chicago; explains industrial-era cities.

Sector Model

Created by Homer Hoyt; city develops in wedges/sectors from CBD; transportation routes shape growth; high-income areas expand outward in one direction.

Multiple Nuclei Model

Created by Chauncy Harris and Edward Ullman; cities have multiple centers (nodes); examples include airports, universities, business districts; activities cluster based on compatibility.

Galactic City Model (Peripheral Model)

Developed by Chauncy Harris; city spreads outward with edge cities; connected by highways; suburban, car-based development.

Latin American City Model

Developed by Ernest Griffin and Larry Ford; CBD with elite spine; zones of maturity, in situ accretion, and squatter settlements; mix of modern and informal development.

African City Model

Developed by Harm de Blij; reflects colonial history; three CBDs (traditional, colonial, market); ethnic neighborhoods common.

Southeast Asian City Model

Developed by T. G. McGee; no strong CBD dominance; port city influence; mix of commercial and residential zones; Western influence blended with local patterns.