concentric zones

2. MY TOPIC
• THE TOPIC I CHOSE TO LOOK FURTHER INTO FROM MY FIRST PHOTO WALK ASSIGNMENT IS THE TOPIC OF
CONCENTRIC ZONES IN CITIES.
• CONCENTRIC ZONES ARE DISCUSSED IN CHAPTER 4, ECOLOGY AND POLITICAL ECONOMY PERSPECTIVES.

3. WHAT IS A CONCENTRIC ZONE
ORIGINATED FROM BURGESS’S MODEL, CONCENTRIC ZONES SEPARATE SECTIONS OF THE CITY ACCORDING
TO THEIR STATUS IN URBAN GROWTH.
THIS MODEL IS AN OLD ONE, AND THERE ARE MANY UPDATED VERSIONS OF THIS MODEL TODAY, BUT IT IS
MORE SIMPLE TO USE THE ORIGINAL MODEL AND STILL FITS VERY WELL.
THE MODEL CONSISTS OF 5 ORIGINAL CONCENTRIC ZONES, THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, ZONE IN
TRANSITION, ZONE OF WORKING PEOPLE, MIDDLE CLASS RESIDENTIAL ZONE, AND THE COMMUTER ZONE.

4. ZONE 1
• ZONE 1, THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, ALSO KNOWN AS “DOWNTOWN” IN MOST CITIES EXISTS IN
THE CENTER OF THE CITY.
• EVERYTHING EVENTFUL HAPPENS HERE, EVERYTHING ECONOMICALLY HAPPENS HERE.
• USUALLY CONSISTS OF HOTELS, BANKS, THEATRES, DEPARTMENT STORES, RETAIL SHOPPING, ETC.

5. NIAGARA FALLS’ ZONE 1
This is a picture of the Seneca Niagara casino,
located in the center of Niagara Falls. A lot of
money is made here. There are also many
business buildings surrounding it.

6. NIAGARA FALLS’ ZONE 1 PART 2
This picture shows the Niagara Falls Memorial
Hospital. Once again located at the Heart of
Niagara Falls

7. NIAGARA FALLS’ ZONE 1 PART 3
The central business district usually
consists of trendy restaurants as well.

8. ZONE 2
• ZONE 2, THE ZONE IN TRANSITION, CONSIDERED TO BE THE CHEAPER HOUSING UNITS AND PEOPLE LIVING
NEAR THE OLD FACTORIES. THIS AREA WAS KNOWN AS THE AREA OF HIGH CRIME RATES.
• ZONE IN TRANSITION USUALLY MEANS THE AREA OF USE IF CHANGING.

9. NIAGARA FALLS’ ZONE 2
Since I could not find an area in Niagara Falls that
fits the description of a zone in transition, I found a
picture of Hong Kong’s zone in transition, which
looks like there are housing units right on top of
small businesses, considering these buildings
might have once been complete business
buildings.
I believe Niagara Falls has not reached this point in
the zone of transition, or it already has overcome
this point. I also believe that these zones only exist
in larger cities.

10. ZONE 3
• THE ZONE OF WORKING PEOPLES HOMES, THE PEOPLE WITH BLUE COLLAR TYPES OF JOBS, MAKING A
LIVING THEIR OWN WAY. A LARGE POPULATION IN THIS AREA RENT THEIR HOUSING.

11. NIAGARA FALLS’ ZONE 3
Although these are condos, and condos are mostly seen
in the zone of better residents, these condos are
relatively cheap and most likely are owned by someone
with a blue collar job. There are many housing units
around the Niagara falls area that are similar to these.

12. NIAGARA FALLS ZONE 3 PART 2
This is a picture of some townhouses, which
are usually rented out. These can also fit in
with the zone of better residences but these
townhouses look like they are cheaper value
for the blue collar families.

13. ZONE 4
• THE ZONE OF THE BETTER RESIDENCES, MOSTLY CONSISTS OF MIDDLE CLASS AND NICER, CLEANER
HOUSING. SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE AND WHITE COLLAR WORKERS WOULD
LIVE IN THESE AREAS.

14. NIAGARA FALLS’ ZONE 4
This is a lovely, quiet, middle class neighborhood. The
grass is green, the yards are clean, bushes trimmed.
Nothing can go wrong here, everyone travels by vehicle,
everyone works decent jobs. These homes are also a
good distance from the Central Business District.

15. MORE OF THE MIDDLE CLASS HOUSING

16. ZONE 5
• BURGESS’S FINAL ZONE WAS THE COMMUTER ZONE. ALSO KNOWN AS THE SUBURBS TODAY. THESE ARE
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT CONSIST OF MAINLY UPPER MIDDLE CLASS AND UPPER CLASS FAMILIES. THIS IS
WHERE THE FATHER LEAVES THE WIFE AND CHILDREN IN THE MORNING TO GO WORK IN THE CITY AND THE
MOTHER USUALLY STAYS HOME TO TAKE CARE OF CHILDREN.

17. NIAGARA FALLS’ ZONE 5
I found these housing units very interesting and each
house had a unique design. They are all very large and very
clean.

18. These types of neighborhoods are the
neighborhoods that I dream to live in.
You can walk in these neighborhoods
without any safety concern, everyone
is friendly, and the area also smelled
so beautiful because of how much
plant life was around. Which is not very
much in the inner city.

19. CONCLUSION
• I HAD QUITE AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE, TRAVELING THROUGH EACH ZONE OF NIAGARA FALLS, EVEN
THOUGH IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET FROM PLACE TO PLACE, AND I HAD TO USE MY VEHICLE MANY TIMES
TOO.
• THIS PHOTO WALK HELPED ME OPEN UP MY EYES TO NIAGARA FALLS, AND LOOK AT IT THE WAY I'VE NEVER
LOOKED AT IT BEFORE.

20. WORKS CITED
• PALEN, J. JOHN. THE URBAN WORLD. 10TH ED. NEW YORK: OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2015.
• "BURGESS URBAN LAND USE MODEL." THE BURGESS URBAN LAND USE MODEL. N.P., N.D. WEB. 01 MAY
2017.