Lowry model

Developed by I. S. Lowry in 1964, this is a model of the evolution and distribution of urban land use—residential, industrial, and service—and the urban qualities of total population and primary, secondary, and tertiary industry. It is based on the assumption that activities can be predicted from a given level of basic employment. The model uses economic base theory to determine the total population and employment in service industries. The population is assigned to zones of the city in proportion to their population potential. Service employment is allocated in proportion to the market potential of each zone. These allocations have to meet land use constraints, notably housing densities, and threshold populations for the various services. The model is run several times while allocations are determined until the system reaches equilibrium.