OVERVIEW OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING THEORIES AND

ISSUES IMPLICATION TO ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICES

Petric Geddes the founder of modern town and regional planning. The
theoretical ideas of Petric Geddes have influenced much subsequent
planning practice, regional economic development and environmental
management . In particular his focus on the triad Place-Work-Folk is
fundamental to land use planning.
Urban Planning is a technique and method of development that
contributes to the organization, development and evolution of urban areas
and their urbanising environs, based on economic, social, legal and aesthetic
concepts and conditions in order to promote the welfare of public and quality
of environment.
Urban Planning Basics
Goal of Planning - to guide the development of a city or town so that it
furthers the welfare of its current and future residents by creating
convenient, equitable, healthful, efficient and attractive environments.
Three key aspects of Urban/City Planning:

Physical environment - A city's physical environment includes its

location, its climate and its proximity to sources of food and water.
Social environment - The social environment includes the groups to
which a city's residents belong, the neighborhoods in which they live,
the organization of its workplaces. One of the biggest issues in most
cities is the inequitable distribution of resources.
Economic environment - Primary employers, such as manufacturing as
well as research and development companies, retail businesses,
universities, federal labs, local government, cultural institutions, and
departments of tourism all play strong roles in a city's economy.

Regional Planning - It is a specific type of planning, based on a specific

planning structure (regional system), for inducing public action aimed at
societal well-being. It implies that regional planning is concerned
fundamentally with the society in the context of space.

http://www.slideshare.net/reeshib/urban-regional-planning?related=2

THEORIES OF EXPLAINING THE EMERGENCE OF TOWNS:

1. Central Place Theory
Developed by the German geographer Walter Christaller in 1933 .It
explains the reasons behind the distribution patterns, size, and number
of cities and towns. Examples. Polders of the Netherlands, the Fens of
East Anglia in the UK
Basic elements of Central Place Theory are:
A central good
A central place
A complimentary region
Assumptions
humans will always purchase goods from the closest place
unbounded isotropic (all flat), homogeneous, limitless surface
evenly distributed population
all settlements are equidistant and exist in a triangular lattice pattern
evenly distributed resources
2. Public Choice Theory
Advanced by Paul Peterson in his 1981 book, City Limits .States that
urban politicians and governing regimes are subordinate to the overall
economic principles that force cities to compete to capture new
investment and capital. The competitive nature of cities encourages
the business elite and politicians to favour new development.
3. Bid Rent Theory
Geographical economic theory that refers to how the price and
demand for real estate change as the distance from the central
business district (CBD) .This is based upon the idea that retail
establishments wish to maximize their profitability, so they are much
more willing to pay more for land close to the CBD and less for land
further away from this area. The amount they are willing to pay is
called "bid rent".
THEORIES OF EXPLAINING HOW TOWNS ARE ARRANGED:
1. Grid model/Hippodamian plan
Proposed by Hippodamus of Miletus who is considered the father of
rational city planning. The center of the city contains the agora (Market

place), theaters, and temples. Private rooms surround the citys public
arenas. The plan can be laid out uniformly over any kind of terrain
since its based on angles and measurements. Examples; The city of
Priene .
2. Concentric Zone model
Also known as The Burgess Model, The Bull's Eye Model.Developed in
the 1920's by the urban sociologist Ernest Burgess. The model portrays
how cities social groups are spatially arranged in a series of rings. The
size of the rings may vary, but the order always remains the same.
3. Multiple Nuclei method
The Multiple Nuclei Model is an ecological model created by Chauncy
Harris and Edward Ullman in the 1945. City grows from several
independent points rather than from one central business district. As
these expand, they merge to form a single urban area. Ports,
universities, airports and parks also act as nodes. Based on the idea
that people have greater movement due to increased car ownership.
4. Urban Realms Model
Developed by James E. Vance Jr. in the 1960s. Each realm is a
separate economic, social and political entity that is linked together to
form a larger metro framework.suburbs are within the sphere of
influence of the central city and its metropolitan CBD. Now urban
realms have become, so large they even have exurbs, not just suburbs.
5. Core frame model
The Core frame model is a model showing the urban structure of the
Central Business District of a town or city. The model includes an inner
core where land is expensive and used intensively. The outer core and
frame have lower land values and are less intensively developed. The
various land uses are linked to the bid rent theory.
6. Irregular pattern model
Arrangement of Public space that characterizes the stage of "Transition
from village to city" especially in Third World. This urban model is due
to lack of planning or construction and illegal without a specific order.
Includes blocks with no fixed order, or permanent and temporary
structures. Structures are not related to an urban centres near the
place.
http://www.slideshare.net/bgeffa/urban-models-23134278
Issues of Urban Planning
1. Individual Control or Small Parcels of Land

2.
3.
4.
5.

Arbitrary Political Boundaries

Irregularity of Environmental Site
Heritage of Past Construction
Anticipation of Future Change

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/problems/3-main-problems-faced-in-urbanplanning/4695/