Concentric zone model

The zone model (or rings ) model of urban development was 1925/29 developed by Ernest W. Burgess and is the first of the three classical urban structure models in modern urban research. Was developed the model using the example of the city of Chicago, which was affected by the turn of the 19th to the 20th century large waves of immigration and thus had a tremendous growth. Burgess came from two basic assumptions:

• The change of the cities under the influence of locational competition
• The change of a specific area related consequences for the other sub-regions

Burgess assumed that the city expands with constant growth in a circle around the city center ( "Loop" ) towards the periphery, forming different zones for different purposes. The immigrants initially settled in close proximity to the "Loop" in dilapidated neighborhoods on. This transition zone ( " zone in transition" ) was characterized by ghettoization and a strong share of enterprises of light industry. Towards the periphery of the social status of the inhabitants rose in the zones. In the transition zone followed by Burgess, a working-class zone ( " Zone of Workingmen 's Homes "), a middle-class residential zone ( " Residential Zone" ) and finally a commuter zone ( " Commuting Zone" ) with predominantly status of high population.

A fundamental problem in Burgess ' model is that it ( the "Loop" ) are considered and its model thus not only enters into a center on sub-centers and their effect on the city. Also traffic-related differences in the various parts of the city and its impact on the arrangement of the zones are only considered insufficient. These and other problems trying H. Hoyt in his sector model and Harris and Ullman to solve in their multi- cores model.