Types of Urban Spatial Structures

Types of Urban Spatial Structures

The urban spatial structure can be characterized by its level of centralization and clustering of value-added activities such as retail, management, fabrication, and distribution. Centralization refers to the preponderance the central part of the city has on the organization of urban activities, which is mainly derived from accessibility. Clustering refers to the overall respective proximity that urban activities maintain, which is mainly derived from the benefits of agglomeration.

A centralized and clustered setting (Type A) implies that most of the value-added activities are located around the central area of a city and are also in close proximity to one another. Although the four above types of urban spatial structures are possible, the two most significant trends that have impacted urban spatial structures have been decentralization. Still, this decentralization took place while maintaining a high level of clustering (Type C). This is reflective of a multicentric city.