Griffith Taylor’s Theory of Urban Evolution
(The Biological Analogy)
Let’s start with a small thought:
Just as a living organism evolves over time, can a city also evolve — from birth, to growth, to decline?
This is the central idea behind the Theory of Griffith Taylor, a geographer who was deeply inspired by Charles Darwin’s theory of biological evolution.
🧠 Key Concept: A city is a living entity. It grows, organizes itself, and eventually ages — just like any biological organism.
The Four Stages of Urban Growth by Griffith Taylor
Griffith Taylor said that urban evolution can be understood in four distinct stages:
1️⃣ Infantile Stage – The Undifferentiated Town
- This is the starting point of urban development.
- The city is like a newborn — very simple in structure.
🔍 Key Features:
- No spatial zoning — residential, commercial, industrial areas are mixed together.
- It resembles a rural town or early urban village.
- People live and work in the same area.
🟡 Takeaway: This stage reflects a primitive form of settlement, where functions are not yet separated.
2️⃣ Juvenile (or Young) Stage – Beginning of Differentiation
- The town is now growing — like a teenager who’s developing their identity.
🔍 Key Features:
- Shops and houses start to get separated.
- Early signs of industrial activity appear — perhaps a few factories.
- However, there is still some overlapping of land use.
🟢 Takeaway: This stage marks the onset of functional zoning, though the city still has some spatial confusion.
3️⃣ Mature Stage – Full Zonal Development
- This is the peak of urban organization — the city is now a fully grown adult.
🔍 Key Features:
- Clear separation into → Residential Zone, Commercial Zone, Industrial Zone
- The city’s layout becomes systematic and efficient.
- Urban planning and zoning laws play a bigger role.
🔵 Takeaway: This stage reflects maximum functional clarity, economic specialization, and organized urban morphology.
4️⃣ Senile Stage – Urban Decay Begins
- Just like old age in a human, cities too slow down and begin to decay physically.
🔍 Key Features:
- Physical deterioration in many parts of the city.
- Infrastructure becomes outdated.
- Urban blight, congestion, and decline of quality of life.
🔴 Takeaway: This is the degeneration phase, where the city may need revitalization or regeneration policies to survive.
📊 Summary Table of Griffith Taylor’s 4 Stages
| Stage | Urban Condition | Keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Infantile | No zoning; mixed land use | Undifferentiated, rural-urban mix |
| Juvenile | Start of separation of functions; early industry | Overlapping zones, transition phase |
| Mature | Full zoning: residential, commercial, and industrial areas | Organized, peak development |
| Senile | Decay and physical deterioration in urban areas | Urban decline, degeneration |
🎯 Why This Theory Matters for UPSC Geography Optional:
- It links urban geography with evolutionary biology — a unique interdisciplinary approach.
- Very helpful in:
- Explaining urban morphology
- Understanding urban planning models
- Writing analytical answers on urban decline and regeneration
Use this theory in questions about city life cycles, zoning, or urban renewal.
🧠 Final Reflection – The Life of a City
Griffith Taylor teaches us to view a city not as a static structure of bricks and roads, but as a living, breathing entity — with childhood, youth, maturity, and old age.
A city isn’t just built; it grows, it transforms, and eventually, it may fade — unless revitalized.