The four main urban models that describe the structure and organization of cities are:
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Concentric Zone Model - Proposed by Ernest Burgess in the 1920s, this model suggests that urban land use is organized in concentric rings around a central point, with different socio-economic groups occupying different zones.
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Sector Model - Developed by Homer Hoyt in the 1930s, the sector model argues that cities expand outward in sectors or wedges along transportation routes, rather than in concentric circles.
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Multiple Nuclei Model - Introduced by Chauncy Harris and Edward Ullman in 1945, this model posits that cities have multiple centers (nuclei) where different activities and land uses cluster, rather than having a single central point.
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Peripheral Model (or Galactic City Model) - This model, developed by Chauncey Harris in the 1990s, describes suburbanization and the decentralized nature of urban areas, highlighting the role of highways and the edge city concept.
These models provide valuable frameworks for understanding urban development and land use patterns in cities.