URBAN MODELS

Concentric Zone Model (Burgess)

• Ernest Burgess based his city model on 1920's Chicago. In this model, the industrial city grows out from
the CBD in a ring pattern. Low income homes are closest to the CBD and high income homes are
furthest from the CBD. The zone of transition is mixed use - some residential, some commercial.

Hoyt-Sector Model
• Homer Hoyt's 1930's model (also based on Chicago) illustrates a city growing out from a central CBD
along transportation corridors (at this time dominantly railroad, street car, etc.), with pie shaped sectors

Multiple-Nuclei Model
 • Harris and Ullman's 1940's model (also based on Chicago) suggested that neither the concentric zones
nor the sector model reflected city structure in the mid 1900's. In their model there is not a single
nucleus but rather several nuclei with their own focal points. This model reflects the declining
importance of the CBD in the automobile era and is a good fit for sprawling cities.

Urban Realms Model – Galactic City Model

• The Urban Realms model was developed by James Vance in the 1960s based upon the growth and
development of the San Francisco Bay area. This model suggests an urban area comprised of a series
of independent suburban downtowns within a larger metropolitan area.

Ford-Griffin Model (Latin American Urban Model)

• Developed in 1980 by geographers Ernest Griffin and Larry Ford and updated in 1996 by Ford.
 • Common urban features in Latin American cities include a CBD featuring both a high rise area and
market area, an elite (upper class) residential sector and a commercial spine - basically an extension
of the CBD in boulevard form with amenities, shops, light industry, etc.. These areas are surrounded by
concentric zones that decrease in residential quality as you move out from the CBD. The Zone of
Maturity includes middle class homes. The Zone of In Situ Accretion is an area between the middle class
homes and the squatter settlements (disamenity sector) with many structures that appear to be under
constant construction. Infrastructure is inconsistent there. Squatter settlements are located on the
outskirts of the city and have very little infrastructure. A periferico (ring road) makes travel easier
between different areas of the city.

McGee Model (Southeast Asian model)

• Developed in 1967, McGee's model reflects the importance of the colonial port zone in large
Southeast Asian cities. Although there is no formal CBD indicated, the components of the CBD are
found near the port zone. Alien commercial zones are home to Chinese merchants who have migrated
from China to Southeast Asia for economic opportunity for decades. Fast growing sectors extend out
from the port zone and newer industrial parts are located on the outskirts.

Subsaharan African City

• In deBlij's model the Subsaharan African city has three CBDs - an old colonial CBD with some vertical
development (high rises), an open-air informal market zone and a transitional market zone with more
formal storefront and curbside economic activity. Surrounding the CBDs are residential zones reflecting
varying ethnicities. Manufacturing and mining zones are located next to some of these ethnic
neighborhoods. Informal satellite townships are squatter settlements located on the outskirts.