Morphology and city-models

Morphology is the study of the internal structure of a city.

There are numerous models depicting cities in varying developed countries such as HICs and LEDCs.

The Burgess and Hoyt model show cities in HICs. The Burgess model is based off of Chicago in 1925.

There are similarities amongst the two models:

1.The outer areas of the model have expensive housing. This is because there is more space, less pollution and easy ways to commute into the city.

2. The cheapest housing used to be the factory-workers'. This is situated around the factories and industries. As this housing is currently undergoing regeneration and re-imaging due to gentrification from young adults, the value is rising. These young adults require easy and quick access to the CBD. In the Burgess Model, this is situated as a circle shape around the factories and industrial areas. In the Hoyt model, the industrial areas are situated along a route of transport i.e. main road/ river. The cheap housing lies besides this.

3. The CBD is full of high value/ dense buildings. Predominantly full of businesses and large corporations who need access to good communications systems. [Agglomeration].

LEDC model:

This model is a portrayal of the inner structure of a low-economically-developed country. Most of its features are reversed to that of an HIC such as the location of expensive properties.

1. The outskirts of the city are concentrated with informal, cramped housing rather than spacious wealthy land like in HICs. These are called favelas.

2. The wealthy areas are located around the CBD where there is easy access to business. This may be a result of no proper way of commuting from the outskirts. Cities such as London and Bangkok have intricate transport systems.

3. Industry is situated along transport routes.