What is the defining spine of the Griffin-Ford Latin American City Model?

• A. The spine is a spine of elite residential development extending from the CBD; strong social stratification and a commercial axis.
• B. A ring of suburban farms surrounding the central business district.
• C. A single, uniform land-use pattern around a central park.
• D. A dispersed rural-urban fringe with no central spine.

Answer: (A)

The defining element is an axis of elite residential development that extends from the central business district, with a commercial corridor along that spine. This setup creates strong social stratification, as wealthy housing sits along the spine and is tightly linked to concentrated commercial activity, shaping how the city expands outward while keeping a busy downtown core. Other patterns—like a ring of suburban farms around the CBD, a single uniform land-use ring around a central park, or a dispersed rural-urban fringe with no spine—don’t capture this distinctive spine-and-corridor arrangement.