Urban Models
Modeling the North American City
• Concentric zone model (Ernest Burgess)
• Sector model (Homer Hoyt)
• Multiple Nuclei Model
(Chauncy Harris and Edward Ullman)
Classic Models of Urban Structure
• Ernest Burgess-1925
Concentric Zone Model
based on studies of
Chicago.
• CBD-financial, retail,
theater, museums etc.
• Transition to residential
with deterioration-some
light industry
• Blue collar labor housing
• Middle class residential
• Suburban ring
Classic Models of Urban Structure
• Homer Hoyt-1939 Sector
Model based on studies
of 142 US cities.
• Pie-shaped wedges
created by Hoyt
compensated for the
drawbacks of the Ring
Model
• Low Rent areas & High
Rent areas could extend
to the outer edge
• Transportation and
industrial zones
accounted for the
sectors
• Multiple Nuclei Model
•
•
•
Chauncy Harris & Edward Ullman
(1945); neither of two models are
accurate
CBD was losing its dominant
position as the nucleus of the
urban area
Separate nuclei become
specialized and differentiated,
not located in relation to any
distance attribute
Post WWII-rapid expansion of cities and
suburbs led to Edge Cities with their own
CBD such as Tyson’s Corner VA outside of
Washington D.C.
DALLAS
Highland Park
Rail lines
Major roads with
industrial zones
highlighted
FORT WORTH
Major roads with industrial
zones highlighted
Bus Lines
Christaller’s Hierarchy of
Settlements & Service Areas
Not all urban areas fit
Christaller’s model.
These are often referred
to as twinned or paired
cities.
Ft. Worth and Dallas
30
miles
The arrows show
the route of the
Mississippi River.
Minneapolis
and St. Paul
14 miles
San Francisco
and Oakland
12 miles
Seattle and
Tacoma
34 miles
Tampa and
St. Petersburg
22 miles