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Function Follows Form

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  • Dascher, Kristof

Abstract

Urban policy visibly molds city shape. This paper's interest is in how city shape (less visibly) molds urban policy. The paper finds: A sufficiently skewed city will look after its center. That is, the more skewed a city's shape towards the city periphery, the more likely an urban majority against any policy that could take away from the city center. This, when broadly interpreted, complements Sullivan's (1896) ''form follows function'' view prominent in architectural theory. Function (building uses) also follows form (building contours). Ultimately combining both views may help explain further how, and when, cities sprawl.

Suggested Citation

  • Dascher, Kristof, 2015. "Function Follows Form," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 112924, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc15:112924
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    Cited by:

    1. Alexander Daminger & Kristof Dascher, 2020. "City Skew and Homeowner Subsidy Removal," Working Papers 195, Bavarian Graduate Program in Economics (BGPE).
    2. Alexander Daminger & Kristof Dascher, 2023. "Homeowner Subsidy Repeal and Housing Recentralization," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 99(2), pages 283-301.
    3. Dascher, Kristof, 2020. "City Shapes' Contribution to Why Donald Trump Won," MPRA Paper 99290, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R50 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - General
    • D78 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Positive Analysis of Policy Formulation and Implementation
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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