World Regional City Models and US Urban Models

Topic 7.4B: World Regional City Models

  • World Regional City Models show the basic layout of cities in different regions of the world:

    • Latin America

    • Sub-Saharan Africa

    • Southeast Asia

  • These models are highly likely to appear on the AP test.

What AP Wants You to Know

  • Zones unique to each city model

  • Location of low, mid, and high-income residential areas

  • European colonial influences

  • Visual recognition of the model

Global Difference in the Location of High-Income Housing

  • In global cities (Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America), the richest people live in the city center (CBD).

  • In North American cities, the richest people tend to live further away from the city center (CBD), but this is slowly changing/reversing.

Sub-Saharan Model Overview

  • Sub-Saharan City Model (1996): Represents the three main CBDs, reflecting colonial, traditional, and market influences.

    • 3 CBDs:

      • Colonial CBD: governmental functions

      • Market Zone CBD: informal market operating daily functions

      • Traditional CBD: modern economic functions

    • Housing Distribution

      • High Income: close to the CBD in apartments or in “compound” like areas nearby

      • Middle and Low income: scattered around the city

      • Lowest Incomes (slums/shanty towns): Located on the outer rings of the city

    • Colonial Influence: Based off Colonial Infrastructure (European Colonization)

Latin American Model Overview

  • Latin American Model (1996): Combination of Concentric Zones and Radial Sectors with the CBD dividing a traditional and modern market.

    • Reveals the extreme difference between areas for the privileged class and areas for people living in extreme poverty.

    • Housing Distribution

      • High Income: along one or two grand avenues extending outward from the CBD adjacent to Elite Spine

      • Middle Income: Zone of Maturity

      • Low Income:

        • Perifico Zone: Squatter Settlements on the Edge of Cities (Rural Migrant Workers)

        • Disamenity Zone: Very Poorest Parts - Ex “Favelas, barrio”

    • Elite Spine: Extension of CBD in a sector pattern with many commercialized spaces of consumption

    • Inverse Concentric Zone: Reference to the location of wealthy housing along “spines” running out from the CBD with areas of extreme poverty on the outer edges of the city

    • Colonial Influence: Large Plazzas usually with a church and central squares with wide boulevards (Elite Spines) extending outward from the CBD

South East Asia Model Overview

  • Southeast Asian City Model (1967): Focused on the old colonial port with a “Western” commercial zone and alien radial zones slicing through mixed-use zones.

    • CBD: Lacks a CBD but has various economic focal points

    • Model Focal Point: Port Zone, reflecting a city design oriented around ocean-going trade (Colonial Influence)

    • Housing Distribution: Higher-income residents will live closer to the economic hub (port zone), and lowest incomes towards the edges

    • Alien Commercial Zone: Small businesses, jewelers, small shops, often dominated by ethnic Chinese or Indian Merchants

Topic 7.4A US Urban Models

  • Shows the change in morphology (shape) of US cities over time from around the 1900s-1980s.

Key Aspects of US Urban Models

  • Name of Each Model

  • Mode of Transportation with Each Model

  • The model with early suburbs and economic nodes

  • The models where cars have the largest effect on accelerating economic activity away from the CBD.

US Urban Models in Chronological Order

  1. Burgess Concentric Zone (walking/horses)

  2. Hoyt Sector (railroads)

  3. Harris Ullman Multiple Nuclei (cars)

  4. Galactic City (cars, cars, and more cars)

  • These models are highly likely to appear on the AP test.

What AP Wants You to Know about US Urban Models

A. The changing economic importance of the CBD over time. The CBD is ALWAYS the economic focus but loses some importance over time
B. The location of low-mid-high income residential housing
C. The location of industry (factories, warehouse, etc.)
D. Mode of Transportation associated w/ each model
E. How transportation affects the shape of a city
F. Visual Recognition of Model

General Truths About US Urban Models

A. The CBD is in/near the center of the model
B. Low-income housing and industry are adjacent to the CBDs
C. Middle-income housing is adjacent to lower income/industry
D. High-income housing is furthest from the CBD because residents can afford to commute

US Urban Models Overview

Burgess Concentric Zone (1924)

  • Model organized in five concentric rings that model the arrangement of different residential zones radiating outward from the central business district.

    • Time period: 1900s-1920s

    • Mode of Transportation: Walking

    • Visual ID: Bullseye shape

    • CBD Importance: CBD is home to almost ALL economic activity

    • Unique Features:

      • High-income residents far away; residents have horses, early autos

      • Low Income close to CBD

      • Zones:

        1. CBD

        2. Factories (zone of transition)

        3. Lower-income housing

        4. Middle-class housing

        5. High-income housing (commuters)

Hoyt Sector Model (1939)

  • Focuses on radial transportation lines and communication as the main drivers of the city.

    • Time period: 1930s - early 1940s

    • Mode of Transportation: Trains, street cars, trolleys

    • Visual ID: Wedge shapes due to train tracks

    • CBD Importance: CBD still focal point, but some business/industry can develop along railroad sectors

    • Unique Features:

      1. Railroad travels through CBD to transport goods, not people

      2. Trolley runs from CBD to RICH neighborhoods. Most people WALK to work.

Multiple Nuclei Model (1945)

  • Designed to show residential districts organized around several nodes (nuclei) rather than one central business district.

    • Time period: Mid 1940s to 1960s

    • Mode of Transportation: Cars

    • How to ID: No evidence of bullseye or wedges

    • CBD Importance: Still Main Economic Driver of City. Cars allow more freedom to pull more businesses away from the CBD.

    • Unique Features:

      1. Cars allow businesses and people to have more flexible locations

      2. Early suburbs and economic nodes appear

      • Zones:

        1. CBD

        2. Factories

        3. Lower-income housing

        4. Middle-class housing

        5. High-income housing (commuters)

        6. Early Suburbs

Galactic City Model (1970s)

  • Central business district remains central, edge cities and industrial districts are scattered throughout the surrounding suburbs and linked by highly developed expressway systems

    • Time period: 1970s to now

    • Mode of Transportation: More cars, expanded freeways

    • How to ID:

      1. Highly developed freeway loops forming bands around the city

      2. Edge cities- work nodes on highway interchanges (Not houses)

    • CBD Importance: CBD STILL MAIN ECONOMIC DRIVER OF THE CITY.

    • Unique Features:

      1. Edge Cities

      2. Freeway bands

      3. Many suburbs

      4. HUGE cities w/ flat topography like Houston, LA, Chicago, Atlanta, DFW

Add to Learning Targets: Bid Rent Theory

  1. Land value is based on the distance from the CBD

  2. The CBD has the most expensive land. Buildings are tall to house more customers to make up for the cost of expensive land.

  3. Suburban areas have larger houses but cheaper land.