What is functional zonation?

Answer 1

Research Walter Christaller's Central Place Theory. The central place theory models functional zonation.

For those of you who don't want to look it up...

Central Place Theory explains how and where central places in the urban hierarchy should be functionally and spatially distributed in respect for one another. An urban hierarchy is a ranking of settlements (hamlet, village, town, city, metropolis) according to their size and economic functions. In an urban hierarchy the central places would be nested, so the largest central place provides the greatest number of functions to most of the region. Within the trade are of the largest central place, a series of larger towns would provide functions to several smaller spaces. The smaller spaces would then provide fewer central functions to a smaller-yet service area.

The central place theory uses hexagonal hinterlands as the shape of each trade area. Cities would be regularly spaced, with central places where the same product was sold at the same price a standard distance apart; a person would not travel 11 miles to purchase an item if it was possible to purchase the same item at a location 5 miles away. Each central place has a surrounding complementary region, an exclusive trade area within which the town has a monopoly on the sale of certain goods, because it alone can provide such goods at a given price and within a certain range of travel. To model this Christaller used several layers of overlapping hexagons. Each level on the urban hierarchy had a level, with the hexagons becoming smaller as you go down the list to from metropolis to Hamlet. Hexagons are used because they leave no space out and fit perfectly into one another. This model demonstrates the ideal functional zonation.

Answer 2

Functional zoning is when buildings of the same function group together in a certain area or part of the city. One benefit in doing this, is it makes it easier for the customer to compare prices.

Answer 3

Functional zones are social and economic areas refering to the cities main activity