Morphology of Urban Settlements and Town Planning
Geography › Urbanization, Settlements and Migration · Topic 10.8
Urban morphology is the study of the form and layout of a city: its street pattern, land use and building types. Planners describe patterns such as radial, grid (rectangular), linear, star and concentric. Three classic models explain the internal structure of cities: Burgess's concentric zone model (1925), Hoyt's sector model (1939), and Harris and Ullman's multiple nuclei model (1945). Town planning arranges land use, streets and services in advance. Indian examples include Jaipur's grid, Chandigarh's sector plan by Le Corbusier, and Jamshedpur and Bhubaneswar.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Geography · Urbanization, Settlements and Migration
At a Glance
- Concentric zone Burgess, 1925
- Sector model Hoyt, 1939
- Multiple nuclei Harris and Ullman, 1945
- Heart of a city Central business district
- Planned Indian cities Jaipur, Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Geography: Urbanization, Settlements and Migration
Where Does It Fit?
This topic follows the types and growth of urban settlements and describes the shape and inner structure of cities. It leads to the topics on rural patterns, city functions and the principles of urban planning. Previous topic: Types of Urban Settlements and the Urban Growth Process. Next topic: Patterns of Rural Settlement and Factors Affecting Them.
What Are the Patterns of a City’s Plan?
| Pattern | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Radial (star) | Roads radiate from a centre, as spokes of a wheel | Delhi’s old plan around Connaught Place, Paris |
| Grid (rectangular) | Streets cross at right angles, forming blocks | Jaipur, Chandigarh sectors, Manhattan |
| Linear | City stretches along a road, river, coast or railway | Cities along the Konkan coast or the Nile |
| Concentric (ring) | Rings around a core with ring roads | Many old walled cities |
| Irregular (organic) | Narrow winding lanes grown without plan | Old parts of Varanasi, Lucknow |
The morphology of Indian cities reflects their history: the old walled city with narrow lanes and a market (bazaar) at the centre; the colonial additions with civil lines, cantonments and railway colonies; and modern suburbs, apartment towers and industrial estates on the outskirts.
What Are the Models of Urban Structure?
| Model | Idea | Zones |
|---|---|---|
| Concentric zone (E. W. Burgess, 1925) | Based on Chicago; the city grows outward in rings, as newcomers invade older zones | Central business district; zone of transition (slums, factories); working-class homes; better residences; commuter zone |
| Sector (Homer Hoyt, 1939) | Land use grows in wedge-shaped sectors along main roads and railways, so high-income areas lie in one sector, industry in another | CBD at centre, with sectors of wholesale and industry, low, middle and high-income housing |
| Multiple nuclei (C. Harris and E. Ullman, 1945) | The city has several centres, not one, each with a specialised activity such as a port, university or airport, as cities grow around many cores | CBD, wholesale and light industry, heavy industry, residential districts, suburbs and satellite nuclei |
The central business district (CBD) is the commercial heart, with offices, banks, shops and the highest land values. Models were developed for American cities, and they fit Indian cities only loosely: in India the rich and the poor often live close to each other, the old core is residential, and informal settlements appear on any unused land.
What Is Town Planning and How Has It Been Used in India?
- Meaning: advance arrangement of land use, roads, housing, services and open space, through master plans, zoning rules and building bye-laws.
- Jaipur (1727): an early planned city of India, laid out on a grid of nine blocks by Vidyadhar Bhattacharya for Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, with wide streets and walls.
- Jamshedpur (1907): a company town planned by the Tata Steel founders with the help of American planners.
- New Delhi (1911 to 1931): the imperial capital designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, with wide avenues and a monumental centre.
- Chandigarh (1950s): planned by Le Corbusier for Punjab after Partition, with sectors of about 800 by 1,200 metres, each self-contained, and green belts; its capital complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2016).
- Bhubaneswar, Gandhinagar, Navi Mumbai and Gift City: later planned cities; Bhubaneswar was planned by Otto Koenigsberger in the 1940s.
The principles behind such plans are described in Principles of Urban Planning, and the city functions that shape them in Categorization of Cities Based on Functions. Land use inside the city follows land values: the CBD has the tallest buildings and highest rents, factories and wholesale markets lie along transport lines, and homes of different incomes are found in different zones. Indian cities also show a sharp contrast between planned enclaves, such as Lutyens’ Delhi, and densely built unauthorised colonies and slums. As an analytical point, most Indian cities have grown more by unplanned additions than by master plans, which is why many suffer from the problems in Urban Infrastructure Challenges: Urban Transport, Waste Disposal, Water Supply, Drainage, Sanitation.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Models Names and years are asked
- Indian cities Planned examples
- Planning Master plans
What Came Next?
The next topic describes the patterns of rural settlement and the factors that affect them. Next topic: Patterns of Rural Settlement and Factors Affecting Them.
Key People and Terms
- CBD Central business district
- Morphology Form and layout
- Zone of transition Zone next to the CBD
- Master plan Long-term plan of land use
- Zoning Division of land by permitted use
- Satellite town Planned town near a larger city
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Burgess: concentric (1925); Hoyt: sector (1939).
- Harris and Ullman: multiple nuclei (1945).
- Chandigarh was planned by Le Corbusier.
- Jaipur has a grid plan of 1727.
- The CBD has the highest land values.
Do Not Confuse With
- Concentric and sector models Rings versus wedges
- Sector in Hoyt and sector in Chandigarh Wedge model versus planned neighbourhood unit
- Planned and organic cities Designed layout versus unplanned growth
Memory Hook
Burgess rings, Hoyt wedges, Harris nuclei; Chandigarh in sectors, Jaipur in grids.
Mains Angle
Questions ask for the models and how well they fit Indian cities. These points add depth.
- Models Three classic models
- Fit Limits in Indian cities
- Planning Planned cities and master plans
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Explain the models of urban structure and discuss their relevance to Indian cities, with examples of planned cities.”
How to Answer
- Patterns Radial, grid, linear.
- Models Burgess, Hoyt, Harris-Ullman.
- Fit Indian cities.
- Planned Jaipur, Chandigarh.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the concentric zone model?
The concentric zone model, proposed by E. W. Burgess in 1925 from a study of Chicago, says that a city grows outward in a series of rings around the central business district. The zones are the CBD, a zone of transition, working-class homes, better residences and a commuter zone on the edge.
What is the sector model of Homer Hoyt?
Homer Hoyt's sector model, proposed in 1939, says that urban land use grows outward in wedge-shaped sectors along main transport routes. A high-income sector or an industrial sector, once established, extends from the centre outward along a road or railway, instead of forming rings.
What is the multiple nuclei model?
The multiple nuclei model of Chauncy Harris and Edward Ullman, proposed in 1945, holds that a city grows around several separate centres, or nuclei, such as a business district, port, university or industrial area, not around one single core. Each nucleus attracts related activities.
Who planned Chandigarh?
The French-Swiss architect Le Corbusier planned Chandigarh in the 1950s as the capital of Punjab after Partition, with a grid of self-contained sectors, wide roads, green belts and a monumental capital complex. The Capitol Complex was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016.
What is the central business district?
The central business district is the commercial core of a city, with offices, banks, shops and hotels, and the highest land values and the best transport links. It is typically the most accessible part of the city, and is where most workers commute to every day.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The concentric zone model was proposed by Burgess in 1925.
It was based on Chicago.
2 Chandigarh was planned by Edwin Lutyens.
It was planned by Le Corbusier.
3 The sector model describes growth in wedge-shaped zones along routes.
It was given by Hoyt.
4 Jaipur is an example of a grid-pattern planned city.
It was laid out in 1727.
Past Mains Questions on This Topic
This topic comes under Urbanization, Settlements and Migration. UPSC Mains questions asked on the matching syllabus topic, year-wise with marks:
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