Functionalism and City

Geography, as a cross-disciplinary science, has greatly benefited from the social and philosophical sciences during its evolution. Functionalism is one of the influential ideas in geography and especially in urban planning as one of the subcategories of this science. In this study, considering functionalism as an essential activity for social life, we have dealt with the key elements of this theory that helped to the life and survival of city. After studying the history and concepts of this theory and its relation with geography based on evidence and secondary documents, we have examined the position of this theory in the urban system and urban planning. What can be said as the result is as follows: The validity of this theory in geography has been most accepted during the period 1920-1960 as the peak and flourishing period of its application after the formation of the Charter of Athens and the prevalence of comprehensive planning. The period from 1960s onwards has been the period of decline and inefficiency of the theory due to the prevalence of a systematic approach and the strategic structural patterns.