City models in theory and practice: a cross-cultural perspective

Abstract

A range of models of urban form are examined in a cross-cultural perspective. Without claiming comprehensiveness and based largely on the findings of German-speaking researchers, it is argued that there are a number of models of urban form that serve as useful descriptive representations of particular cultural and historical conditions. However, such models are for the most part applicable to the historical urban fabric of a pre-globalized world and are of limited value outside the historical cores of traditional towns and cities.