Understanding Urban Space Production and Planning Dynamics

NY Producció: Ordenació de l'Espai Urbà: A) Producció: involving various sectors of society, each defending its own interests. The owners of the land intend for urban growth to be directed toward their property to benefit from the appreciation of rural land. The goal is to create more efficient urban land use. The industrialists often conflict with landowners and citizens regarding the disadvantages of industrial development. Citizens are organized into associations to defend their interests, engaging political power through urban planning and resolving conflicts among social partners. B) Planificació (Urbana): The organization responsible for urban planning has both a theoretical dimension (urban theory) and a practical dimension (the urban environment) that leads to the design of new spaces. We can distinguish three stages of urban development:

1) The Beginnings of Urbanism (2nd Half of the 19th Century)

: This period saw growth exceed the pre-industrial city walls, with significant actions in bourgeois spaces. The adjustment of the urban plan involved setting geometric planes for expansion and implementing drainage plans that promoted hygiene (such as garbage collection and street cleaning). Improvements in services and urban facilities included the construction of essential infrastructure.

2) Town Planning Between 1900-1975: MAP 332

: Two main objectives can be distinguished during this era: In the Era of Autarky: three objectives emerged: the reconstruction of cities most damaged by the Civil War, such as Guernica, Guadalajara, and Oviedo; the development of housing laws; and the organization of urban growth through land and urban management laws that established a hierarchical planning system (national, provincial, and local). Urban plans focused on enlargement, dividing areas with different functions and fixing necessary equipment. During the Development Phase: the land law remained, but problems emerged, including housing issues where private companies acted speculatively, increasing permitted heights and reducing green areas, alongside a decline in construction quality. Valuable historical and artistic heritage items were often removed. Growing environmental problems led to the creation of polygons in 1970 to ease congestion on major access roads. In the Post-Industrial Era Since 1975: The following features emerged: autonomous communities acquired skills in land use, town planning, and housing, with legislation that municipalities must follow. The urban planning department (PGOU) serves as a basic tool for management, with partial plans materializing the PGOU for each urban area. Special-order plans are also developed. There is a growing emphasis on citizen participation in urban planning, with various organizations working to improve quality of life.