In an editorial on spatial economics, SMU Assistant Professor of Economics Hsu Wen-Tai was featured for his recent development of a growth model based on the central place theory, an idea which was proposed decades ago to explain the size and distribution of human settlements. The model provides an updated explanation of the power law to acknowledge the importance of geographical relationships among cities. Assistant Prof Hsu’s main contribution, in addition to formalising the central place theory, is the finding that the power law can emerge from a central place hierarchy under quite modest conditions. His research also sports a key theme that the unevenness of the urban landscape is in fact a natural phenomenon driven by the economy.