The Urban Housetype as an Illustration of the Concentric Zone Model: The Perception of Architectural Continuity

Abstract

Abstract The American city is almost universally described as being made up of a series of zones decreasing in age and density outward from the center. The most popular model for generalizing about the structure and organization of the American city remains the concentric zone model in which the nature of each ring is more specifically denned. The purpose of this paper is to discuss some reasons for the “popularly perceived zonation” of the American city as opposed to, say, the European city, through a study of cultural attitudes toward the architectural environment. More specifically, the urban housetype and attitudes toward the urban housetype are used to illustrate the concentric zone model and to shed some light on such “zonal” concepts as the “inner city” and “suburban ring.” In addition, the increasingly negative attitude of Americans toward central cities is explored and related to some major urban problems and American landscape tastes. It is hoped that students will be encouraged to discuss aspects of the “alternate future” presented for the American urban landscape.