The law of centrality specifies limits to the maximum size buildings can achieve under certain carefully prescribed conditions. This paper derives the law of centrality in a sea of parking and illustrates the law's effects on the built environment. A mathematical model is presented that describes this relationship in more vigorous fashion. Limits on centrality in a sea of parking may include access, density and landscaping. Initial hypothesis include that maximum building size (serving as a reasonable proxy for centrality) should: increase with maximum walking distance; decrease with minimum parking requirements; increase with the average number of building floors and parking levels; and decrease with the share of building or parking area devoted to landscaping. Historical trends in shopping center size and parking requirements are used to illustrate the operation of the law in land use planning, zoning and development practice.
Abstract