10 Conceptual urban planning theories by famous

architects

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Theories are scientific ideas based on multiple
assumptions and principles, while urban planning is a
strategy given to plan a city/area/space keeping
environmental and political context in mind, it helps in
defining the land use, building a
better transportation connection, and developing water
bodies. There are many planning architects and urban
designers/planners who gave their ideas to generalize a
framework based on their observations, many of them
came and went but their principles remained with us,
some got successful and some were evolved with time
but have taught us a lot to take a further step. There are
tons of theories which caters to urban development in
an organised manner, responding to the need, growth
and change of time. Some of the major ones are as
follows.
1. Garden city Concept (1898-1902); By Ebenezer
Howard | Planning Architects
The three magnet concept was an utopian vision by
Ebenezer Howard, a well known urban planner of
the 19th century. The illustration below shows the three
kinds, two which were existing with some positives and
some negatives, and the third one Howard proposed by
combining the two; i.e. town-country. The amalgamation
of these two magnets helped in compensating the
disadvantages of both; the town and countryside.
Introducing the greenbelts in cities brought the working
class people near to the farm side and empowered the
lifestyles of both. The concept evolved in many stages
from the “three magnet theory’’ to “Garden cities of to-
morrow”.
With the growing grid of the concept Howard gave an
assumed data, and pattern of circular rings linked with
each other via different road networks. The first city
planned on this theory was Letchworth garden city, then
came the Welwayn garden city in the UK, and slowly
people started following the theory and built many more
of them. 
2. Geddian trio Concept; Patrick Geddes
Sir patrick geddes believed in the concept of region and
gave power to human life more than anything, His
values lied on emphasizing human life and energy than
to beautify them. Taking inspiration from a sociologist
Frédéric Le Play’s triad quoting to ʻLieu, Travail, Familleʼ
geddes translated them “Work, Place, Folkʼ’ and gave
a theory of urban planning. Giving importance to local 3. Concentric Zone model; Ernest Burgess
surveys and human centric designs, depending on an One of the earliest models in urban history talking about
inhabitant’s workstyle, their culture, heritage, beliefs,  the different land use was the burgess model. According
the region’s topography, climatic changes, networks and to Burgess urban growth is all about an individual’s
everything, the geddian trio concept came into social category or affordability. The city has 6 major
existence. concentric zones;
 Zone I: The CBD of the city where all the things are
accessible.
 Zone II: Located adjacent to CBD, have most of the
industrial zones, generating employment to nearby poor
category residents.
 Zone III: This zone is dedicated to the most poor
category of the city, mostly immigrants and people who
can’t afford living far from industries.
 Zone IV: Residents devoted to working class category
people. 
 Zone V: It has higher quality lands than the previous
one, mostly dedicated to business people.
 Zone VI: For the high class category, where they can
afford luxury and a place away from working chaos.
Concentric zone model: 

©ht
tps://www.researchgate.net
This was not a successful theory but further helped in
categorising the land use pattern.
4. Sector theory; Homer Hoyt
©ht Sector theory, also known as Hoyt’s model, was an
tps://medium.com evolution of the Burgess model. Hoyt debates about the
growth of a city is never in concentric rings but has
different typology of growth. As shown below A city is
developed in multiple components with multiple
arrangements.

Sec
tor theory: ©https://en.wikipedia.org
5. Multi nuclei theory; Harris and Ullman | Planning
Architects
Based on urban land use, the theory defines the central
part as an origin, and the whole city is developed
©ht around a central nuclei having a single CBD (Central
tps://medium.com Business District).  
An evolution of single nuclei theory, where two
legends Harris and Ullman proved that a city doesn’t
grow around a single nuclei but has multi focie, and
each point acts as a growing point.  Due to increase in
population and growth in car movement not all the
farther rings can reach to the center, yet need their own
reaching point. The size and value of a CBD can differ,
having a bigger CBD at the center and smallest in the
outskirts can be one strategy. ©http://
writingcities.com

7. Broadacre city concept; FL Wright

Based on a theory of very famous architect FL Wright, a
broadacre city was designed on a socio-political
scheme. Where a single family will be given 1 Acre of
plot land and will be given a full freedom to their way of
living.With the concept of garden city, Wright tried to
take green belts to another level and give a new
definition to the landscape, so that people can be
connected with nature and with each other with liberty
Mul and prosperity US got a new definition to city
ti nuclei theory: ©https://en.wikipedia.org development.

6. City of To-morrow; Le Corbusier

A theory by world’s famous architect; Le corbusier.
Expanding his vision from a building to a city, corbusier
gave this theory to approach ‘urban crises’. According to
corbusier, people would rather choose to live in the
outskirts than to be in a city, thus a city should be
planned with accommodating the central part for
commerce and covering the surrounding with greens.
The central zone should have all the skyscrapers while
the remaining residential belt to be developed in zigzag
pattern with leaving the required setback. 
City of Tomorrow:

©ht
tp://www.hasta-standrews.com
8. Neighborhood unit concept; Clarence A. Perry
The neighborhood unit theory was an initiative to bring
everything in a single unit. Catering to the need of a
single family on the basis of six factors:
1. A child can reach to school without crossing a
street traffic
©ht 2. Each and every dwelling has access to centrally
tps://workagile.co.uk located elementary school, and doesn’t exceed
the distance more than one and a half mile
3. A departmental store to be located on a walking
distance from a house.
4. Workplace to have convenient transportation.
5. 10% of a single unit should have greens with
parks and playgrounds.
6. The infrastructure should cater to the needs.
One of the most famous examples is Radburn city, with
enclaves, blocks and superblocks planned in an
organised manner.

Co
Nei ncept of human
ghborhood unit concept: ©https://evstudio.com settlement: ©http://shortformcontent.blogspot.com
9. Concept of human settlement; K.A. DOXIADIS
K.A. Doxiadis, a greek architect and a town planner 10. Mile high city concept; FL Wright | Planning
gave his theory on the term ekistics defined for human Architects
settlement. His concept revolved around human An utopian vision to move the horizontal growth of
experience with nature, man, society, shells and population vertically up.The theory mentioned living of a
networks.   community on skyscrapers and leaving the lands for
green areas and nature. As the population increase was
noticeable, so was the vision appreciable.