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Central Place Theory by Walter Christaller
Central Place Theory by Walter Christaller
1. What are the 3 main principles of christallers theory and how they defined?
a. Marketing Principle (k-3)
In this principles Cristallers supposed to be show the result of economic law of
supply and demand. This principles has hexagonal space that envisaged as the central
places or town where the goods are created and consumed, so people tend to congrete
and collect there.
N = (6x1/3)+1 = 3
The hierarchy in the marketing
models follow rules of 3s
(1,3,9,27.), where a
custumers equidistance from 3
higher order settlement D,E,F
will purchase 1/3 from D, 1/3
from E, 1/3 from F
Each central places ordered to central hexagon that can supplies to six other hexagon
in the vertexes of this hexagon. But each central places in the vertex of hexagon also
belongs to two adjacent hexagon. So one central places ordered to six vertexes of
hexagon and there are suplplied each for a one-third share by three central places
situated on three adjacent hexagon. According to the theory for full hexagon the
number attached to the market principle is one unit for the central places situated at
the center of the hexagon and six times one third for the central places situated at the
vertex. Or in the other word this theory show that each central place can serving two
lower order places or one-third of the lower order neighbors surrounding them, so
there are three places are served. The goal of marketing principles is to serve
maximum number of customers from a minimum number of center.
b. Transportation Principles
In this principles Cristallers supposed to be show the result of seeking for economy
in transport between central places, this principles exist because Christaller want to
reduce cost to a minimum by suggest aligning secondary central places between the
main central places along the diagonals which connect the center of initial hexagon.
N = (6x1/2)+1 = 4
Model of k-4 show that the
hexagon is shifted so that the
settlement are located at the
center point each side and each
central places serve a half share
of the surrounding hexagon, so
the number of places served is
four
For a full hexagon which is include to transport principle has one unit for the central
place situated at the centre of the hexagon and six times one half for the central places
situated in the middle of the side. This principles show that the distribution of central
places most favourable cause when many important places possible lie on one traffic
route between two important towns, the route being established straightly and as
cheap as possible. According to the transport principle the central places will be lined
up on straight traffic routes which fan out from the central point, so the lower order
center are located at the mid point of each side of hexagon rather than the corner. The
goal from the transportation principle is to minimize the network length and maximize
the connectivity of center being served. .
c. Administrative principle
This principles is the result of a pyramidal spatial organization of secondary central
places around a main central place, where Christaller situates the secondary central
places at an equal distance from the main central place inside the hexagon. Christaller
envisaged this models as hierarchical with all higher order places in the hexagon
surrounded by other higher order places to show that not only local but regional
economics and spatialization of urban centers.
N = (6x1)+1 = 7
All the six lower order places
in the hexagon are served by
central places. The higest order
trade area completely covers
that of the lowest order, it
means that the market serves a
larger area.
Christaller also suggest that organizing principle was based upon the realization that
from a political or administrative viewpoint centers it was unrealistic for the center to
be share, so Christaller thought this principles could solve that. The goal of this
principles is to provide a hierarchy of controls where the lower level centers are
completely controlled by the higher order places.
2. How realistic is Christallers Central Place Theory to the real world?
This theory is hard to make realization in the real world because the assumption of
Christaller theory is unrealistic. First of all Christaller assume that consumers are evenly
distributed across a uniform and flat market plain (isotropic), in the reality large areas of
flat land are rare with the presence of relief barriers channeling transport in certain
direction. Second Christallers theory was set in 1930 and doesnt consider the
importance of recent social and economic changes such as population mobility, urban
growth, etc that can change the planning regulation in the location of service center.
Third, now days the technology give more impact to economic, especially in this theory,
with technology such as online shopping we can buy some goods without go to the
nearest store, so transportation cost are not equal in different direction and people or
resources are never perfectly distributed. . Fifth perfect competition is unreal with some
firms making money than other. And the last is Christaller envisaged each centre with a
particular function whereas they have many which change over time. But it better to
applied in studying the location of retail in urban areas today.
3. What are the strengths and weakness of Cristallers Central Place theory?
Strengths Weakness
This theory does reasonably of describing It doesnt include the fact that
the spatial pattern of urbanization, it can development of places is very
explain why there is hierarchy of urban temperamental.
centers It cant applied to industrial aor
It can describe the relationship between postindustrial area
central place (higher order) and It cant reflect and applied in todays
hinterland areas (lower order) situation/real world
Describe the location of trade and service Cultural, political, and personal
activity, so it can describe consumer perception or else are the other factor that
market and oriented manufacture. maybe important too give an impact to
Beneficial in market areas or business economic.
resource
Proves useful in the planning of city or
lovation of bussines