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Theories�on�The Internal Structure of Cities

Dr. Avijit Roy

Department of Geography

Malda College, Malda

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Concentric Zone Theory

Proposed by E.W. Burgess in 1923 based on his detailed case studies on Chicago and its various neighborhoods.

  • He was the first to explain the distribution of various social groups within urban areas.
  • Burgess employed certain ecological concept such as invasion, competition and succession to explain the spatial variation in urban land use.

Assumptions:

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  • Uniform land surface
  • Universal accessibility to a single centered city
  • Free competition for space
  • Population is heterogeneous culturally and socially
  • City’s economy is based on commercial-industrial activity
  • Easy, rapid and cheap transportation in every direction within the city

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Zone I- Central Business District (CBD): It represents the area of CBD revolves around social, commercial and civic life. It is also the hub of transportation.

Zone II- Zone in Transition: It is a zone of residential deterioration of old private houses. The transition area is settled by immigrants and overrun by ‘vices’. This is a zone with mixture regions of poverty, disease and their criminal activities and vice.

Zone III- Working Men’s Homes: This is predominately inhabited by factory and shop workers who are skilled. It is the zone of old residential blocks occupied by families those are stable in their jobs.

Zone IV- Residential Zone: The population residing in this zone are likely to be small proprietors businessmen, salesmen, white-collar workers, professionals and different official clerks.

Zone V- Commuter Zone: People of this region seem to commute on a daily basis for their livelihood in the centre.

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Sector Theory

Proposed by Homer Hoyt in 1939

  • The theory was based on residential rent patterns.

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  • In the Industrial sector, the factories near the centre may be decline or changing their function
  • In the residential sectors, the older house found in or near the inner portion and newer houses or construction are made towards the outer fringe.

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Multiple Nuclei Theory

Proposed by Harris and Ullman in 1945

  • There may be existing several subsidiary centre (nuclei).
  • Each centre may act as a growth pole for development.