Models of the City:Urban Morphology

AP Human Geography

Functional Zonation

• The internal division of the city into certain regions (zones) for certain purposes (functions) “zoning laws”

• This is not random; cities are spatially organized to performs their functions as places of commerce, entertainment, production or education

USA vs Europe Zoning

• USA– Little federal, state role; mainly local gov.– Common categories:• Residential (houses, apartments, condos)• Commercial (office space, retail shops, restaurants)• Industrial (manufacturing)• Agricultural (farms)Very little “mixed use”Single family and Residential usually gets priority

USA vs Europe Zoning

• Europe– Federal (or national) government regulates – Localities must get approval from feds.– Wide variety of categories:• Small scale residential, village type, mixed-use, town

center• No preference for single family residential• Mixed use the norm, not the exception

Urban Planning

Mixed Use (Europe) Single Use (USA)

Evolution of American Cities

• 1. Wagon-Sail=1790s-1830s• 2. Iron-Horse= 1830-1870• 3. Steel-Rail= 1870-1920• 4. Auto-Air=1920-1980s• 5. Computer-Internet=1980s-until? (“new”

urbanization and gentrification; ex: West Broad Village)

New Urbanism?

West Broad Village Bedford Falls, Wake County

Concentric Zone Model

Concentric Zones

Hoyt’s Sector Model

Sector Model

Multiple Nuclei Model

Urban Realms Model

Latin American City (Griffin-Ford)Model

The African City

South East Asian (McGee) Model