Geographia Polonica (1977) vol. 37
On modelling and planning the development of urban agglomerations
Geographia Polonica (1977) vol. 37, pp. 151-158 | 
Full text
Abstract
This paper attempts to interpret the existing theory of spatial structure of urban agglomerations, and their change, from the planning perspective. A brief review of some of the major theoretical approaches is therefore in order. In a certain sense, these approaches are all useful from the planner's point of view since they build a stock of knowledge and information which is needed both at the plan study and the plan design stage. For instance, theoretical patterns of population density and directions of their evolution, following the city growth, its age and technological improvements in transportation, have to be taken into account while planning the future structure of urban agglomerations, since this may constitute one of the prerequisites for plan accomplishment. Another example is the need to consider the increasing spatial mobility of pop-ulation — a phenomenon widely discussed in the literature on urban studies. The planning implications are still more evident in the case of the spatial socio-demographic structure of urban areas. The realization of such a vital goal as the minimization of spatial variations in the distribution of those population and housing characteristics which have been identified as major dimensions of socio-ecological space, requires the knowledge of conditions which give rise to partic-ular variations.
[korcelli@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakowskie Przedmieście 30, 00-927 Warszawa, Poland