Rashid's Blog: A Place for Inquisitive Souls

There is little doubt that contact by sailors from Norway had occurred over many years in the 8th and 9th centuries between the islands of northern Scotland, the east coast of England and with Ireland.  Most of these sailors would have been fishermen or traders and would have acquired details of the Irish coastline, location

Vikings on the Shannon. By John Dolan. Blog No 760, 14 Nov. 2025

The Australian geographer Thomas Griffith Taylor (1880–1963) classified towns on the basis of their level of development, age and landscape. He identifies five types showing the progress of urban functions and landscape development.

1. Infant Town
   Initial stage
   A town that is a new settlement gradually developing without zoning. This is a mixture of residential, commercial and other land uses and there are no specific land use patterns.Its status is that of a new or beginning settlement.The city has not yet had well-defined zones for its land use.There is mixing of residential and commercial functions.There are cases where shops are integrated into houses owned by shopkeepers.The separation between rich and poor housing is not that strict either.Urban functionalities are still limited and the town remains small in size.The development of the town is mostly concentrated around some type of transit routes or marketplaces.The town does not yet have clearly planned diverse spatial separation.
2. Juvenile Town
   Developing stage
   This is a place where the town has developed a core commercial area with commercial buildings and activities, but there is no complete zoning. This stage evolves out of the Infant Town.The town starts to develop a separate commercial section. Land use becomes relatively more diverse.Stores are increasingly found on certain streets or in the commercial center. Residential zones start to separate from commercial zones.The town has slightly more functional organization than before, but the issues related to zoning have not yet been resolved.The town continues to expand in both population and area.Some specialised functions start to emerge.
3. Adolescent Town
   Emergence of industry
   At this stage the factories are started to be built. Meaning more and more sophisticated urban activities coming up.It occurs after the juvenile stage of the town.This stage is characterized by the emergence of industrial activities and firms.In addition, the town’s functions begin to get differentiated.Industrial zones become clearly distinguishable from residential and commercial zones.The population and the built area increase at the same time.The transport systems develop in accordance with the economic activities of the towns.Land zoning becomes more clear.The town starts to show different urban structures.
4. Early Mature Town
   Improved differentiation
   At this stage a separate area for high-quality residential housing emerges. The town has highly differentiated social and geographical division of residential area.It develops after the Adolescent Town stage.Industrial and commercial activities become more established.There is clearer functional differentiation of urban land uses.Residential, commercial and industrial areas become increasingly distinct.The central commercial area becomes more prominent.Transport routes and urban infrastructure become more developed.The town expands spatially, with development extending beyond the original urban core.Different residential areas begin to emerge according to social and economic characteristics.
5. Mature Town
   The last stage
   At this level the town can be described as having a defined industrial part, commercial part and the rest residential. The town is now completely organized in terms of different urban activities.The town has a well-developed and clearly differentiated land-use pattern.Commercial, residential and industrial zones are clearly identifiable.A strong Central Business District (CBD) or commercial core develops.Industrial activities become more specialized and spatially concentrated.Residential areas become differentiated into distinct neighbourhoods.The town develops a more complex transport and communication network.Urban services and infrastructure become increasingly developed.The built-up area expands through suburban growth.The town functions as an important regional economic and service centre.

Readings:

Age of Town Scheme of Griffith Taylor and an Asian Perspective from Chanakya’s Arthashastra

City Types: Aerotropolis

Micropolitan

Some Types of Cities (Metropolis, Megacity, City-State, and More)

Entangled Urbanism: Visualising Urban Space as a Network of Interconnected Spaces

Chanakya’s Thoughts on Town and Country Planning in Contemporary World:Are They Relevant?