The Concentric Zone Theory of City Structure: As Applied to an African City: Ibadan, Nigeria

Joel Splansky* The Concentric Zone Theory of City Structure As Applied to an African City: Ibadan, Nigeria Various hypotheses have been suggested to account for the structural forms that are exhibited by American, European, and certain Asian and African cities. The theoretical urban patterns derived from these hypotheses have been applied to many cities at varying stages of their development. Such theoretical urban patterns are always highly generalized, quite schematic, and readily subject to modification and distortion as a result of unusual circumstances, topographic influence, transportation alignments, large tracts of publicly owned land, etc. Little work has been done on the application of these hypotheses to cities in tropical Africa. One hypothesis, the concentric zone theory proposed by Burgess in the 1920's,1 has particular relevance and application value to the city of Ibadan, Nigeria. Burgess argued that the pattern of urban growth and structure can best be understood in terms of concentric circles. Each circle forms a zone occupied by a different form and quality of land use. In the 1920's when Burgess' theory was applied to American urban centers there was a general agreement between theory and reality. Burgess did, however, recognize that unusual site conditions could alter the concentric circle structure and as a * Doctoral candidate, University of California, Los Angeles. 1 Ernest W. Burgess, "The Growth of the City," in The City, edited by Robert E. Park, Ernest W. Burgess, and Roderick D. McKenzie, (University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1925), pp. 47-62; Ernest W Burgess, "Urban Areas," in Chicago: An Experiment in Social Science Research, edited by T. V Smith and Leonard D. White, ( University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1929), pp. 113-38. 135 136ASSOCIATION OF PACIFIC COAST GEOGRAPHERS consequence, modifications of the successive concentric circles structure were also employed. This was true for a study of Chicago with Lake Michigan, a topographic barrier lying immediately east of the central core, the "Loop." Chicago was forced to grow to the north, west, and south of the Loop. Burgess recognized concentric semicircular zones of growth terminating on the lake shore rather than the full concentric circles which his hypothesis proposed as the ideal. Burgess suggested that there are five concentric zones centering around a city core. In order of increasing distance from the city center , the five zones are: Zone I—The Central Business District. The center of the city is the focus of commercial, social, civic, and transportation activity. The central business district is the downtown retail center with department stores, smart shops, office buildings , clubs, banks, hotels, theaters, and organization headquarters. Encircling the downtown retail district is the wholesale business district. Zone II—The Zone of Transition. The downtown area is encircled by a zone of residential deterioration . The communities of this zone are among the oldest in the city and are characterized by numerous rooming houses encroached upon by business and light manufacturing activity. Immigrants often compose an important segment of the population in this zone in which the density of population is generally high. Zone III—The Zone of Independent Workingmens Homes. This zone is inhabited by industrial workers who have escaped from the zone of transition but who desire to live within easy access of their work. Zone TV—The Zone of Better Residences. Single family dwellings, exclusive residential districts, and highclass apartment buildings are characteristic features of this zone. Population densities are low compared to Zones II and III. VOLUME 28 / YEARBOOK 1 1966 137 Zone V—The Commuters' Zone. Out beyond the area of better residences is a ring of small towns and hamlets which when taken together constitute the commuters ' zone. Many of these are dormitory suburbs, the majority of their male inhabitants working in the central business district but maintaining their homes in the suburbs. Burgess' ideas were developed in the American context and with particular relevance to Chicago. His detailed examples all bear the imprint of Chicago references. When the details are removed and only the general framework applied, numerous other American cities could be viewed as fitting the concentric circle structure. Beyond the shores of North America, Burgess' hypothesis has at times been brought forward to help explain existing urban patterns in Australia...