It is argued that the spatial structure of administration is influenced in part by the requirements of administrative logic and in part by the fact that an administrative structure has to exist within a broader and generally more complex functional structure. The main criteria for organising the spatial structure of administration under such conditions are outlined. Next, there is an examination of the extent to which these criteria can be satisfied in the context of a hierarchical urban system. It is shown that within such a framework these criteria may be in conflict. The approach is then continued at the scale of the city-region, where a similar conflict among criteria is seen to be present.