The study of diffusion and reception of central place theory, focusing on pioneers in central place research

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K03017
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Human geography
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University
• Principal Investigator: SUGIURA Yoshio 首都大学東京, 都市環境科学研究科, 名誉教授 (00117714)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 地理学史 / 中心地研究 / Karol Bromek / Edgar Kant / Peter Woroby / ポーランド / エストニア / カナダ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Just after the end of World War II, a substantial study and applied works of central place theory were done faithfully according to Christaller (1933). Those were directly or indirectly related with a locational planning of central places, which was incorporated into a national land planning set about by the Polish National Office of Spatial Planning.
The central place study of Edgar Kant, an Estonian refugee to Sweden, published in Estonia in 1935 was the first study in the world to apply central place theory to the study of the system of urban settlements. The hierarchical structure of Estonian central place system elucidated by Kant was evaluated in American geography as an excellent example substantiating the idea of functional region.

Free Research Field

人文地理学