PLACES AND MARKETING
• REGIONS
• PLACES AND DISTRICTS
• DEVELOPMENT TYPES
• DEVELOPMENT CONSIDERATIONS
REGIONS
Regions are areas that have a characteristic or group of
characteristics that distinguish them from other areas. These
characteristics can be defined in terms of political, physical, biological,
social, economic, cultural, or other factors. The structural and
functional organization of these factors varies from place to place.
TYPES OF REGIONS
For urban planning design purposes, regions may be defined by
political, biophysical, ecological, sociocultural, or economic boundaries.
One particular type of region, the metropolitan region, often covers
several of these types, because they can serve several purposes.
POLITICAL REGIONS
Political regions are civil
divisions of areas. They maybe
defined at scales that are easily
recognized, such as state, county,
and township boundaries. These
types of regions, known also as
governmental jurisdictions, define
areas that possess certain
legislative and regulatory
functions, important to planners
and designers.
BIOPHYSICAL REGIONS
Biophysical regions are areas where biological and physical
factors interact. A common example is a watershed, which has been
used in planning, like conservation and flood control, since the 1930s
by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
● Regions can be mapped based on physical features or ecological
complexity
● Physiographic regions are mapped based on terrain, rock type, and
geological history.
BIOPHYSICAL REGIONS
● Regions can be mapped based
on physical features or ecological
complexity
● Physiographic regions are
mapped based on terrain, rock
type, and geological history.
ECOLOGICAL REGIONS
Ecological regions are delineated through the mapping of
physical information, such as elevation, slope aspect, and climate,
plus the distribution of plant and animal species.
SOCIOCULTURAL REGIONS
Sociocultural regions represent a type
of region that is elusive to delineate
and to map. They may be defined as
territories of interest to people that
have one or more distinctive traits
that provide the basis for their
identities.
ECONOMIC REGIONS
Economic regions often
overlap with sociocultural regions,
with economic processes influencing
our understanding of social
dynamics. Examples of these
economic regions include daily
commuting patterns, newspaper
circulation areas, housing markets,
and sports team affiliations.
Agricultural regions synthesize
various regional types, relying on
biophysical factors like soil, water,
and climate, as well as sociocultural
elements.
METROPOLITAN REGIONS
Metropolitan is an areas to have organized political bodies
that address multiple planning issues, including transportation,
economic development, housing, air quality, water quality, and open-
space systems. These organizations encompass more than one
political jurisdiction. Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are
responsible for planning, programming, and coordinating federal
highway and transit investments. In addition to MPOs, other regional
entities with planning responsibility include councils of government,
planning commissions, and development districts.
CHALLENGES OF DEFINING REGIONS
A region forges a complex entity that involves many phenomena and
processes. This involves:
• Establishing Cores and Boundaries
–cores often serve as focal points for cultural, economic, or social activities
like cities, natural resources, etc. However, boundaries define the limits of
the region, distinguishing it from neighboring areas.
• Hierarchical Classifications
–Regions can be classified into various hierarchies based on different
criteria, such as size, population, economic activity, or ecological
characteristics.
CHALLENGES OF DEFINING REGIONS
• Interrelationships
–The interactions among various elements within the region are vital
for its functionality. This includes the relationships between different
communities, economic sectors, and environmental factors.
Boundaries can tend to appear more real than the zones they
symbolize and divert attention from actual connections and
separations. Goals can be established for planning in a variety of
ways, and these goals result in irregular boundaries, a well-
recognized problem of regional (and other levels of) planning.
REFERENCES
Bailey, Robert. 1998. Ecoregions: The Ecosystem Geography of the Oceans
and the Continents. NewYork: Springer-Verlag.
Callenbach, Ernest. 1975. Ecotopia. Berkeley, CA: Banyan Tree.
Garreau, Joel. 1981. The Nine Nations of North America. Boston: Houghton
Mifflin.
Orfield, Myron. 1997. Metropolitics: A Regional Agenda for Community and
Stability (rev. ed.). Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.
Zelinsky, William. 1980. “North America’s VernacularRegions.” Annals of the
Association of AmericanGeographers 70:1–16.
