AP Human Geography 13.2 Notes
Key Issue 2: Where Are People Distributed in Urban Areas?
Models of Urban Structure
Learning Outcome 13.2.1 - Describe the Models of Internal Structure of Urban Areas
Three models were developed in Chicago to explain urban residential patterns:
Concentric Zone Model
Sector Model
Multiple-Nuclei Model
Concentric Zone Model
Developed by Ernest Burgess in the 1920s.
Predicts urban growth patterns, assuming new migrants settle in inner-city areas due to cost and proximity to employment.
As residents (often second-generation migrants) become wealthier, they move outward from the inner city.
Structure: Cities are perceived as concentric rings that expand over time, with older rings changing character.
Key Components:
Central Business District (CBD): Core commercial area.
Transition Zone: Includes deteriorated housing, factories, and abandoned buildings.
Working-Class Zone: Characterized by single-family tenements.
Residential Zone: Consists of single-family homes with yards and garages.
Commuter Zone: Encompasses suburbs.
Activities Associated:
Each zone has distinct activities related to socio-economic status and land use.
Sector Model (Hoyt's Model)
Developed by Homer Hoyt in the 1930s.
Focuses on urban development in wedge-shaped sectors extending from the CBD based on transportation routes.
Certain land uses are incompatible, clustering similar types in linear sectors radiating outward.
Similar to the concentric model but highlights the importance of transportation corridors.
Key Components:
CBD: Central business area.
Wholesale and Light Manufacturing: Industrial activities along transport routes.
Low-Class Residential: Areas for lower-income families.
Medium-Class Residential: Middle-income housing.
High-Class Residential: Wealthier neighborhoods.
Activities Associated:
Each sector specializes in particular socio-economic classes and land uses.
Multiple-Nuclei Model
Developed by Chauncy Harris and Edward Ullman in the 1950s.
Different urban growth patterns; the city expands from multiple foci rather than a single point.
Growth can occur independently around several centers, which may be far from the CBD.
Cities contain multiple existing centers; new commercial or residential centers may arise out of these.
Key Components:
Various land-use zones such as primary CBD, industrial sectors, and residential areas across income levels.
Ultimately showcases complexity in urban structure compared to other models.
Bid Rent Curve
Represents variations in rent based on distance from the peak point of accessibility/visibility (usually the CBD).
As distance from the CBD increases, transportation costs rise and rent typically decreases.
Different land uses display different bid-rent curves:
Retail, Manufacturing, and Residential have varying demand and rent structures with respect to distance from the CBD.
Visual Representation:
Concentric rings aligned with land use types influenced by socioeconomic status.
Applying the Models in North America
Learning Outcome 13.2.2 - Analyze How the Three Models Help to Explain Where People Live
Social Area Analysts Study: Examines community standards, ethnic backgrounds, and social ties of residents.
Census Tract: Geographic divisions of urban areas, each containing roughly 5,000 residents correlating to neighborhood boundaries.
Information Gathered from Census Tract System:
Demographics, economic status, race, and education levels.
Critiques of the Urban Models:
Oversimplicity: Models do not capture the complexity of urban living.
Outdated: Fails to consider current urban dynamics and movement patterns.
Applying the Models in Europe
Learning Outcome 13.2.3 - Describe How the Three Models Explain Patterns in European Cities
Differences in European CBDs:
Higher population density in downtown areas than in the U.S.
More daily consumer services available (e.g., bakeries, butchers).
Prominent structures typically public service buildings (parks, churches).
Restrictions on high-rise building construction to preserve historical architecture.
Comparison of Urban Models in U.S. and Europe:
Concentric Zone Model:
Europe: New housing in outer rings often higher-density, multi-family complexes.
U.S.: Modern developments comprise primarily single-family homes.
Sector Model:
Income clustering remains similar, but notable differences in layout and high-density versus low-density housing exist.
Multiple Nuclei Model: Both regions show clustering of similar income but demographic placement varies distinctly by ethnic and social group.
Pre-Modern Cities in Developing Countries
Learning Outcome 13.2.4 - Describe Patterns in Pre-Colonial and Colonial Cities in Developing Countries
Effects of Colonialism:
European control impacted urban planning in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, imposing standardized layouts.
Architecture: Features central plazas and prominent churches.
Layout of Precolonial Muslim Cities:
Characterized by narrow streets with central marketplaces.
Differences in District Layouts:
European districts implemented wider streets and more open spaces, contrasting the dense, complex configurations of precolonial areas.
Applying the Models in Developing Countries
Learning Outcome 13.2.5- Understand How the Three Models of Urban Structure Describe Patterns in Cities in Developing Countries
Harm deBlij's Reconfiguration of the Concentric Zone Model:
Inner rings contain higher-income residents near commercial activities and public services.
Informal Settlements Location:
Often found in the outer rings of cities, where housing exists without legal endorsement.
Global Scale:
Estimated 175 million to 1 billion people reside in informal settlements worldwide.
Physical Characteristics of Informal Settlements:
Primitive housing conditions, inadequate infrastructure (e.g., water supply), limited access to services.
T.G. McGee's Model:
Focuses on Southeast Asian City structures, highlighting the presence of distinct zones like alien zones predominantly occupied by foreigners (often of Chinese descent).
Latin American City Model (Griffin-Ford Model)
Developed by: Larry Ford and Ernest Griffin.
Incorporates elements of Latin American history, culture, and globalization.
Key Features:
Prominent plazas and residential quality decreases with distance from the CBD.
Contains zones of maturity and transitional areas, reflecting demographic shifts and socioeconomic transitions.
Resident Distribution:
Wealthy populations inhabit a narrow elite sector radiating from the CBD.
Attractions in Elite Residential Areas:
Amenities such as restaurants, theaters, and parks appeal to wealthier residents.
Changing Urban Structure of Mexico City
Learning Outcome 13.2.6- Describe Stages of Development and Apply Urban Models to Mexico City
Influence of Physical Geography:
Higher elevation areas seen as more desirable leading to wealthier sections being located there due to their drainage capabilities.