Concentric Zone theory

Author

Report on Planning 3

“Concentric Zone Theory”

ERNEST WATSON BURGESS

President,

AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL SOCIETY (1934)

President,

BEHAVIOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION (1931)

President,

SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION (1942)

Chair,

SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO (1946)

President,

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NATIONAL RELATIONS (1942)

Author



ROBERT E. PARKS

URBAN SOCIOLOGIST

Faculty Member,

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, 1914-1933

He began his career as a reporter for newspapers in Minneapolis, Detroit, Denver, New York, and Chicago.

An encounter with journalism that influenced his later work in sociology



HUMAN ECOLOGY based on ideas from Biology such as

• Plant Invasion

• Species succession

• Climax Vegetation

URBAN ECOLOGY - groups of people occupy overtime different areas of the city like different plant species.

BURGESS said the zone is ring.

The Concentric-Zone Model



Model based on Chicago, so rings are only semi-circular due to Lake Michigan

1A CBD Proper

1A

CBD = “Central Business

District”

In Chicago: “The Loop”

Dept stores, office bldgs,

banks, hotels, theaters

>> things that service entire

metro area




1A CBD Proper

1B Fringe of CBD

1A

1B Wholesaling, warehousing, truck

& railroad depots

>>things that service CBD uses;

cannot afford extreme land

values of CBD proper; may need

more land

These uses have moved out to

circumferential highways




1A CBD Proper

1B Fringe of CBD

2 Zone in Transition

or ‘Gray Zone’

1A

1B

2

Mixed residential and commercial uses

Older residential area; former homes of

well-to-do have trickled down to low-

income; Businesses and light

manufacturing, print shops

Zone of slums, rooming houses, newly

arrived immigrants




1A CBD Proper

1B Fringe of CBD


or ‘Gray Zone’

3 Lower Income Housing 1A

1B

2

3

Burgess called this ring: “Zone of

Independent Workers’ Housing”

Industrial workers. May have moved

out from Zone 2 boarding houses as

begin to assimilate, prosper, start

families




1A CBD Proper

1B Fringe of CBD


or ‘Gray Zone’

3 Lower Income Housing

4 Higher Income Housing 1A

1B

2

3

4

Single-family residences;

streetcar suburbs




1A CBD Proper

1B Fringe of CBD


or ‘Gray Zone’

3 Lower Income Housing

4 Higher Income Housing

5 Commuters’ Zone

1A

1B

2

3

4

5

Suburban areas

containing satellite

cities



4







CBD

Commercial center of the city.

Including shops, transport routes centres, leisure and entertainment facilities.

Area of high land value with

much competition for space.

Tall and high density

buildings.

Few people actually lived in

this area.



INNER CITY

The Inner city is the 3rd zone commonly consisting of Terraced housing built in the 19th century.

This area usually

experienced social and economic problems.

Some have now been replaced with high rise flats in order to maximize the use of spaces.



INNER SUBURBS

Commonly 1920 – 1950s housing usually large in size and with a garden.

Some facilities such as rows of shops may exists.

The land gets cheaper away from the CBD, so planning for new houses is common.



OUTER SUBURB

Modern housing, large in size, often detached with a cluster pattern housing.

Ideal areas for families with young children, houses with gardens, garages and

Safe roads.

Access to parks and

common spaces is common.

Called the “Commuter

zone”



OTHER NAMES FOR CONCENTRIC ZONE MODEL

• The Burgess Model

• The Bull-s Eye Model

• Concentric Ring Model

• Concentric Circles Model







• City Center

• South Gate

• West

• Gate

• North Gate North Gate: Medium rise office and

Residential development

West Gate: High end commercial center

Spectrum: High-rise Offices and Residential tower

Filinvest Ave.: Exclusively for high-rise corporate towers

City Center: Festival Mall

South Gate: Asian Hospital




• Laguna Heights

• City Center

• Corporate

• woods

• South Gate

• West

• Gate

• North Gate Laguna Heights: Sports and Leisure

development

Corporate woods: Alternative office environment

Civic Plaza: Commercial lots along Civic Drive

Market Square: Wet and Dry Market

• Market

• Square

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Concentric Zone theory