UNIT 2

FORMS OF HUMAN SETTLEMENT

STRUCTURE AND FORM OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS - LINEAR, NON LINEAR,

CIRCULAR – COMBINATIONS - REASONS FOR DEVELOPMENT -
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES - CASE STUDIES - FACTORS
INFLUENCING THE GROWTH AND DECAY OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
DETERMINANTS OF TYPE OF SETTLEMENT

Urban form refers to the physical layout and design of the city, spatial imprint of an urban transport
system, Adjacent physical infrastructures. Jointly they confer a level of spatial planning arrangement
to cities. Urban form or city form is defined as the spatial pattern of human activities at a certain
point of time

PATTERNS
Pattern of settlement is defined as the relationship between one house or
building to another. It can be identified by reading and observing a local
scale map.. The socio cultural factors like caste structure or a func­tional
need of people has a close bearing on its shape and size.

TYPES OF RURAL SETTLEMENT

1. Compact/clustered/nucleated settlement
2. Semi-compact/Semi-clustered/fragmented settlement
3. Hemleted settlement
4. Dispersed settlement.

1. COMPACT SETTLEMENTS:
As the name suggests, these settlements have closely built up area.
Compact settlement
Therefore in such settlements all the dwellings are concentrated in
one central sites and these inhabited area is distinct and separated from the farms and pastures.
Maximum settlements of our country comes under this category. They are spread over almost
every part of the country. These settlements are distributed over the entire northern Indo-Ganga
plain

Very often these settlements have a definite pattern due to closely built area and intervening street
patterns. As many as 11 patterns are identified. We will discuss only Five major patterns. These
patterns are: (i) Linear pattern (ii) Rectangular pattern (iii) Circular pattern (iv) Square pattern (v)
Radial pattern
1) Linear Pattern :
It is commonly found along main roads,
railways, streams, etc. It may have a single
row of houses arranged along the main artery.
For example rural settlements found along the
sea coast, river valley, mountain ranges etc.

2) Rectangular Pattern :
This is a very common type
which develops around the
rectangular shape of
agricultural fields as it is
common to find a system of
land measurement based on
square units. Village paths and
cart tracks also confirm to the
rectangular field patterns and
run through the village in
north-south and east-west
directions. Accessibility to Circeii (San Felice Circeo, Province of Latina).
farms and fields and The roughly rectangular area defined

connectivity to other
settlements lead to rectangular
shape of settlements. The
settlements of coastal
Maharashtra and Andhra
Pradesh and either side of
Aravali hills, etc. may be cited
for examples.
3)Square Pattern:
This is basically a variant of rectangular type. Such a pattern is
associated with villages lying at the crossing of cart tracks or roads
and also related to features restricting the extension of the village
outside a square space. These features may include an old
boundary wall, thick orchards, a road or a pond.

4) CIRCULAR
The round form was a natural outcome of maximum aggregation
for the purpose of defense during the past.

5) Radial Pattern :
In this type, a number of streets converge on one centre which
may be a source of water (pond, well), a temple or mosque, a
centre of commercial activity or simply an open space. Thus, the
streets seem to be radiating from a common centre. Examples are
settlements near Gurushikar, Mount Abu in Rajasthan, Vindhyachal
in Uttar Pradesh, etc.
3) Fan Shaped Pattern:
This is seen where some focal points or line is situated at one end of the
village. A focal object may be a tank a riverside, a road, an orchard, a well or
even a place of worship. Such patterns are common in the delta region where
the dwellings simply follow the fan shaped profile of the delta as in the case
of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, etc. Such patterns are also common
in the Himalyan foothills.

3. HAMLETED SETTLEMENTS:
These type of settlements, are fragmented into several small units. The main
settlement does not have much influence on the other units. Very often the
original site is not easily distinguishable and these hamlets are often spread
over the area with intervening fields. This segregation is often influenced by
social and ethnic factors. These settlements are generally found in West
Bengal, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and coastal plains.

4. DISPERSED SETTLEMENTS:
This is also known as isolated settlements. Here the settlement is
characterized by units of small size which may consist of a single house to a
small group of houses. It varies from two to seven huts. Therefore, in this
type, hamlets are scattered over a vast area and does not have any specific
pattern. Such type of settlements are found in tribal areas of central part of
India covering Chhota Nagpur plateau, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, etc

Mid Atlantic - dispersed isolated farms of the Dutch, Swedes, Irish and
Germans
2. SEMI- COMPACT SETTLEMENT:
As the name suggests, the dwellings or houses are not well-knitted.
Such settlements are characterized by a small but compact nuclear
around which hamlets are dispersed. It covers more area than the
compact settlements. These settlements are found both in plains
and plateaus depending upon the environmental conditions
prevailing in that area.

Like, compact settlements, semi-compact settlements may also have

different patterns. Some of the patterns are (i) checker board
pattern (ii) Elongated pattern (iii) Fan shaped pattern.

1) Checker Board Pattern:

This is a type of settlement found generally at the junction of two
roads. The streets meet each other at an angle or are parallel to
each other. This is because of the tendency to align the dwellings
along cardinal axes. This pattern is common in the northern plains.

2) Elongated Pattern:
Such settlement occurs as a result of elongation of the rectangular
pattern due to influence of site features. For instance, in the Ganga
plains, in areas liable to inundation, the rectangular pattern
becomes unusually elongated along the high ground. Even
otherwise the advantage offered by riverside location forces such a
pattern
 TYPES OF SETTLEMENT PATTERN
1. LINEAR
2. NON LINEAR
3. CIRCULAR

2. LINEAR SETTLEMENT

• A linear settlement pattern is where houses or buildings are lined up by

the road. A linear settlement is mainly followed along a transport route.
Many people make their houses and buildings so it can be a more easy
transport for their goods.

• Many follow a transport route, such as a road,

river, or canal though some form due to
physical restrictions, such coastlines,
mountains, hills or valleys.
• Linear settlements may have no obvious
center, such as a road junction or green.[2]
 Linear settlements have a long and narrow
shape
• Often, it is only a single street with houses on
either side of the road.
Mileham, Norfolk, England is a good example
of this.
• A linear settlement is in contrast with ribbon
development, which is the outward spread of
an existing town along a main street.
3. NON LINEAR SETTLEMENT

• NUCLEATED/CLUSTERED
Nucleated settlement refers to a town with buildings clustered together
around a center. Settlement patterns of towns include dispersed, linear and
nucleated, each influenced by largely geographic factors.
A clustered settlement contrasts with a:
• dispersed settlement
• linear settlement
• polyfocal settlement - this is where two (or more) adjacent nucleated
villages have expanded and merged to form a cohesive overall community.

Defense
Nucleated settlements are easier to defend. Such settlements typically
developed around castles and forts, for example. Townspeople would seek
shelter inside the central area in case of danger.

Flat Areas
Nucleated settlements in flat areas without geographic restrictions allow for
a town to grow outward in many directions. A busy road crossing also allows
a surrounding town to develop further.

One example of a nucleated village in England is Shapwick, Somerset.

• DISPERSED
Refers to the scattering of houses over a large area. Occur in rural area, hilly
and plain areas. Overpopulation is one of the rea­sons for dispersed
settlement.
4. CIRCULAR SETTLEMENT

 The circular form consists of a central open space surrounded by structures. This
model has a center with homes, barns, schools, and churches and as you move away
from the center, it is surrounded by farmland. Small garden plots were located in the
first ring surrounding the village, with cultivated land, pastures and woodlands in
successive rings. They resemble Von Thunens model as they are circular and have a
center focal point.

A circular pattern is seen in the Upper Doab an Trans-Yamuna districts, Malwa, Punjab
and Gujarat, where large villages are characterized by a very high degree c
compactness. The outer walls of dwellings adjoin each other and present a continuous
front, so that when viewed from outside, the villages look like a walled and fortified
enclosure pierced by a few openings. The round form was a natural outcome of
maximum aggregation for the purpose of defense during the past.

VON THUNEN MODEL URBAN HOYT MODEL

The sector model, also known as the Hoyt model, is a model of

urban land use proposed in 1939 by economist Homer Hoyt.  It
is a modification of the concentric zone
model of city development. 
5. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANATGES

LINEAR SETTLEMENT

ADVANTAGES

• Easy access to roads / high accessibility

• Not having to walk far distances because the sidewalks are
straight
• Straight to destination
• Social (getting to know neighbours)
• Different sized buildings
• Useful along the limited edge
• Adaptability to linear growth

DISADVANTAGES
• Not much open space (houses are in a straight line meaning there
is less space in between each house---smaller backyard or lawns
etc.)
• Very sensitive to blockage, requires control of growth
• Lacks focus
• The choice of connection or of direction of movement are less
• Linked houses (if you are not comfortable with your house linked
to another then the house won't be comfortable for you)
• Some houses that are a part of a linear settlement don't have big
garages or they aren't really good because they are cramped up
• Linear settlements may have no obvious center, such as a road
junction or green. Linear settlements have a long and narrow
shape
NON LINEAR

DISPERSED (ADVANTAGES)
• Farmer lives on his or her own farm
• Farmer decides how to manage the farm and makes his or her own
decisions
• Lives on a single holding and makes maximum use of machinery
• Greater profit

DISPERSED (DISADVANTAGES)
• Living in isolation, therefore there is little social contact
• Safety of farmer is threatened because of isolation
• Farmer has to travel great distances for basic commodities
• Living in isolation may lead to boredom, however TV, radio, alarms have
minimized the fact that farms do not have access to security and
communication

CLUSTERED (ADVANTAGES)
• Open space can provide community members with larger recreation areas and create a sense of
openness that many people desire.
• Open space can benefit the environment by providing habitat for wildlife, naturally filtering storm
water,
reducing storm water runoff from impervious surfaces, and protecting the natural features of a
site.
• Linking the open space of several conservation design subdivisions can help develop larger and
more effective “environmental corridors” within and between communities.
• Developers may benefit because these designs usually reduce the costs
of site development and increase the market price of individual plots in
comparison with traditional subdivisions.
• These designs can benefit rural areas by reinforcing the policy of
maintaining the local rural character that is included in many
comprehensive land use plans.

CLUSTERED (DISADVANTAGES)
• Perhaps most important, local officials, developers, and the community
may be predisposed toward traditional development designs because they
are familiar and well understood. An education effort may be necessary to
help these groups understand the goals and advantages of cluster
development.
• During the planning phases, lot and home layout may take extra work to
ensure that while homes are
• Cluster/Conservation Development - Land Use Planning - Local Community
located closer together, they still take advantage of the open-space goals of
the design.
• During the planning phases, lot and home layout may take extra work to
ensure that while homes are
• Cluster/Conservation Development - Land Use Planning - Local Community
located closer together, they still take advantage of the open-space goals of
the design.
• Although not necessarily a restricting disadvantage, the management of
waste water must be carefully designed for smaller lots. While these
disadvantages should be acknowledged and addressed, none should
preclude the use of cluster development.

CIRCULAR(ADV)
• Less intersections
• Easies flow of traffic
• Aesthetic appeal

CIRCULAR(DISADV)
• Unplanned growth can create traffic problems
CASE STUDIES

CASE STUDY 1 | LINEAR SETTLEMENT | CURTIBA

is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Paraná. Curitiba is an important cultural,

political, and economic centre in Latin America.

PROFILE
Municipality of Curitiba, Brazil
Population: 1.8 million
Land Area: 432 km2

Unique feature: CURAITIBA BRT SYSTEM-World’s First Bus Rapid Transit System -a world first at launch
- allowing transit between any point in the city by paying just one fare.
Curitiba's buses carry 50 times more passengers than they did 20 years ago. 89% approval rate

HSTORY
• 1700s- Curitiba offered an ideal location between cattle-breeding country and marketplaces,
leading to the city’s success in cattle trade
• 1850 -1950-City expanded further .In the 1850s waves of European immigrants arrived in Curitiba,
contributing to the economic and cultural development of the city
• 20th Cy-After 1950, the city rapidly increased in population and consolidated its position as a
regional hub for trade and services- became one of the richest cities in Brazil and a pioneer in
urban solutions.

• 2010-Awarded Prestigious Globe Sustainable City

Award given to cities and municipalities which excel
in sustainable urban development

• In response to the influx of people, the mayor of

Curitiba initiated a Master Plan design competition
for the growing capital city. The winning team
consisted of young idealistic planners and architects
lead by Jaime Lerner
MASTERPLAN

•A model in how to integrate sustainable transport considerations into business development, road
infrastructure development, and local community development
• Called for the integration of traffic management, transportation, and land-use planning to achieve
its goals, and maintained flexibility in its regulations to allow for different future development
scenarios
•The key concept is the structural axis
•Land use : The highest levels of residential and commercial developments are concentrated in the two
blocks at the centre of the spine, thus preserving large areas for low rise residential development in
the sectors between axes.
•Transportation system:
-Road hierarchy-(spider web network)
-Types of routes : feeder, inter district and express
•Central road with dedicated lines for buses
•External roads : outbound and inbound fast
flow roads
•Hierarchy of streets:
-Pedestrian streets
-Local streets
-Collector roads
-Express roads
-Rapid roads
• Bus coloring with hierarchical network
busways on the local street
• Landuse control along with busways

• One of the key elements of urban planning was a choice for growth in a ‘radial linear-branching
pattern’, which served to protect both density and green areas. This pattern encouraged - through
a combination of land-use zoning and provision of public transport infrastructure - a diversion of
traffic from the city centre and the development of housing, services and industrial locations
along the radial axes.
•Each of the five arteries contains one two-way lane devoted exclusively to express buses. This inner
lane is flanked on either side by
• a local access lane for cars
• a high-capacity one-way route for use by both cars and buses

MAJOR COMPONENTS
Anchors: large parks, patches, & preserves
Neighborhood parks:
Civic, downtown and social spaces:

TIMELINE
• 1966 – Curitiba Master Plan
• 1971 - Mass transit terminal plan, pedestrian network
• 1974 - Creation of the road hierarchy and land control system, operation of main mass transit line
• 1982 - All five structural corridors were completed with inter-district and feeder lines
• 1992 - 150 km of bicycle paths to be built connecting the city's districts to make the entire city
accessible to bicycles
• In 1970, there was less than 1 square meter of green space per person; in 2000, there are 52
square meters for each person
 Curitiba's Trinary Road System

CASE STUDY 1 | LINEAR | MUMBAI

CASE STUDY 2 | RADIAL SETTLEMENT | MOSCOW, ROME

Radial cities grew out of

the Renaissance thinker's
obsession with geometric
"purity". And the ability to
move troops around to
crush dissent. Paris and
Rome are the results of an
Organic city which had
radial elements interjected
into them - mostly to allow
the aforementioned troop
movements. Washington
DC is an interesting case,
because it was built upon a
tabla rasa. Le Enfant, being
a typical enlightened
French thinker [and
Jefferson, Washington, et al
being largely trained in the
French humanities] the
radial grided plan was the
perfect way to mark lines
upon the earth. 
CASE STUDY 3 | GRID IRON | CHANDIGARH, SAN FRANCISCO

The grided city is neither new,

nor revolutionary. It has roots in
ancient Roman military garrisons,
which is how it was spread:
through Roman conquest. The
widespread adoption of the grid
has both celestial and economic
history. In New York City, being a
maritime city, its chief concern
was with commerce from the
very beginning. The grid is the
easiest, fastest, and most
expedient way to sell land.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE GROWTH AND DECAY OF HUMAN SETTLEMENT

Physical factors that influence the location of a settlement include;

1.Water supply – settlements need water, they often locate on wet point sites for this. Settlements
built away from rivers and water supplies to avoid flooding are located at dry point sites.

2.Defence – building on high ground allowed people the chance to look out for enemies (e.g.
Edinburgh castle) while surrounding a settlement with water also helped with deed defence e.g.
Durham is built inside a meander.

3.Aspect and shelter – In the northern hemisphere south facing slopes receive more sunlight and are
protected from cold Northerly winds.  More settlements and agricultural land is therefore located on
South facing slopes.

The economic factors include;

1. Communications – settlements often located next to rivers that could be easily crossed.  These are
called bridging points. Other favorable places included where at the junctions of valleys or in  gaps
through hills.  These locations allowed maximum communication between different settlements and
increased trade. E.g. Newcastle is built on the Tyne at a bridging point and could benefit with trade
from the North and the South.

2. Resources - Early settlers relied upon wood for fuel and building.  A site close to woodland was
there fore an advantage.  Later, resources such as Iron ore, coal and bauxite encouraged the growth
of settlements. 

OTHERS

1. Provision of social services, People migrate from their original places and live near areas where
social services are easily available to them. Example of social services are health centres, schools,
electricity and water supply.

2. Climate condition.
People settle in good climatic areas. Rainfall and temperature have a great influence from human
settlement. Areas that receive abundant rainfall and favourable temperature attract more people.
This is because people are able to engage in both subsistence and commercial farming such areas are
Kilimanjaro, Mbeya, Ruvuma and Iringa region where there is abundant rainfall.

3. Relief;
It is a strong factor influencing settlement. Gentle slopes are ideal areas for building houses as they
are well drained. Steep stops are usually uninhabited because they have thin soils which inhibit
growth of crops and pasture.

4. Vegetation cover;
Vegetation is the total plants cover over an area. Thick vegetation discourages establishment of
settlement. Dense forest such as Congo of central Africa and Amazon, in South America are not
accessible. They may also be habitants for dangerous wild animals and disease carrying vectors.
5. Political factor;
Political factor has great influence on settlement establishment. A settlement may be located in a
certain area because of political reasons for example in 1967 the government of Tanzania introduced
ujamaa village where by people were settled in villages.

6. Cultural factors;
Some areas may be productive but due to some cultural beliefs people may be prohibited to establish
settlements on such areas. Example mumbanitu forest in Njombe.

7. Historical factors;
Prior to the division of Africa some communities moved in various directions and settled in their
present homelands. Those movements were caused by various factors mainly wars for example
Mfecane war in South Africa.

REASONS FOR DECAY

Urbanization is associated with a number of problems, some of these problems include
environmental degradation, rise in criminal activities, inadequate housing, traffic congestion,
unemployment, immorality, shortage of public utilities such as water, and emergence of street
children.

Overcrowding, Great number of immigrants and people are coming from farms. There is an increase
in birth rate and drop in mortality rate. People migrate from original places due to corruption, poor
water supply and poor health services.

Political instability, the increase of the people at certain areas cause the increase of bad behaviors
like crime which lead to political instability at a given area.

Eruption of diseases like cholera, malaria, HIV/AIDS and other outbreaks due to population pressure
caused by the increase of people.

Unemployment, Due to the increase of people in urban areas from the rural most of them search for
jobs in the urban centres which result in lack of job vacancies.

Traffic Congestion, These refer to the presence of high number of vehicles especially private cars,
these lead to noise pollutions as well as air pollutions for example Dar -es salaam.
 
Shortage of social services, like water, schools. Some urban centres do not have reliable sources of
water. As population increase water sources are strained and most residential areas experience water
shortage for instance Dar es salaam suffer from water shortage throughout the year.
 
Emergence of street children, As people increase resulting to the lack of social services and conflicts
in the family and at the end family break-ups which result to street children. These people decided to
run away due to the lack of social services in their family.