town, that
; will have
to specific
sample area
be obtained
stical infor-
y. 1951 and
1e. establish-
the subject.
ban area to
the photo-
1 delineated.
nents which
ck of time,
ation.
Ips to some
that area, a
munication,
med as well
a structural
pared with
ypes, repre-
tures. Cities
ts or many
| economic
ring indus-
utilities, or
of growth.
of essential
n.
arts which
of business
$i
oupings of
ow houses,
to specific
tant in city
the photo-
dards from
opments in
lards; they
ir suscepti-
(713)
bilities to fire, are mainly financed under the *GI Bill", contain an average of
two adults and two and one-half children, use similar amounts of water, and
represent a relatively narrow range of income and purchase power. We need
only recognize these housing developments in the photograph. Such demo-
graphic and actuarial data can be broadened to relate to larger functional
groupings.
From these general considerations it may be seen that the photograph
ought to supply the following data:
1. A complete physical description of the city including its location as
related to the surrounding terrain and surrounding economic activity.
2. A breakdown into the various functional divisions in some detail as
indicated in Figure 1.
3. A delineation of its broader structural arrangements including types
of building construction, building density, height, etc.
4. A description of areas of nature development and of areas of growth.
5. A picture of the street patterns and the main arteries of traffic.
6. An analysis of external communications, their means, capacity and
effectiveness.
7. We should be able to obtain some general conception of the essential
municipal services, utilities and facilities.
As outlined by the United States National Capital Park and Planning
Commission the scope of study of urban areas include:
a. Land in use
b. Housing and redevelopment
c. Movement of people and goods
d. Community services
e. Open spaces.
With this brief and possibly hurried explanation of the scope of the
problem let us turn in the light of these concepts to the examination of a
specific example which illustrates the solution of a hypothetical but typical
problem, once the functional and structural patterns are assembled.
Let us examine a city outside of the United States, for example, a city in
India. Of case samplings from a number of areas throughout the world, that
of India is one of the most interesting. For experimental purposes India affords
us a type of urban area which is considerably different from either American
or European cities, and as such offers a better challenge to the validity of the
method. Secondly, it is a large country with many large cities which provide
a broad basis for sampling and testing. Also, suitable published information is
readily available. In addition, India is one of the few places in the world where
two cultures have existed in long juxtaposition and as a result enabled the
study of a variety of types of areas. Due to recent changes in economic and
political status, the urban pattern is being fundamentally influenced. Also the
Indian city presents an example of great density of human habitation.
The first illustration (figure 1) is a synthesis of the typical functional and
structural characteristics common in varying proportion to all Indian cities.
The nature and background of this urban pattern are well explained in the
articles by O.K.H. Spate in the Geographical Review of April 1950 and by
Suprekas Ghosh in Economic Geography, a Clark University publication, in
March 1951.