Urban Development: Key Concepts and Stakeholders

Key Concepts of Urban Development

Defining a City

A city is characterized by a high number of inhabitants (typically more than 10,000), a high-density concentration, and continuity of habitat. Key economic activities include services such as transport and trade, as well as industry. Cities exert influence on other regional centers. They feature a distinct type of architecture and urbanism, characterized by tall buildings, skyscrapers, wide boulevards, and a significant dynamism of social relations. Cities are also centers of concentrated functions.

Urban Stakeholders

Various stakeholders play a role in urban development:

• Private Land Owners: Landowners and developers.
• Employers: Industries and service providers.
• Public Authorities: Municipal, provincial, and autonomous governments.
• Citizens: Individuals.
• Collectives: Associations of neighbors, merchants.
• Pressure Groups: Advocacy and defense organizations.
• Urban Social Movements.

Urban Planning

The purpose of urban planning is to manage the development of a town or city in an organized manner.

Urban Plans

Urban plans can be categorized as follows:

• Conditioning: Plans that address a pre-existing situation.
• Corrective: Plans aimed at mitigating deficits and problems.
• Prospective: Plans that project future investments and actions.
• Policy: Plans that are legally binding for all stakeholders.

Land Classification

• Urban Land: Land that is already built and developed.
• Developable Land: Land designated for future development.
• Non-Developable Land: Land that can never be developed because it is located in protected areas.
• General Systems: Land intended for the general operation of the municipality, such as roads and green areas.

Urban Morphology

Physical location refers to the specific place where a city is situated. The location of a city is its position relative to other sites. The situation is related to the role of the surrounding area.

City Maps

• Irregular Map: Characteristic of pre-industrial cities, featuring a motley collection of tall buildings without any order, with narrow, irregular, and winding streets.
• Radiocentric Map: Starts in circles and spokes from a central point.
• Grid Map: The grid layout allows movement along horizontal and vertical axes but complicates cross-paths. It often favors the opening of diagonal routes.

Urban Functions

• Residential: Necessarily involves a series of equipment and infrastructure.
• Commercial: Involves the trading of goods and services.
• Industrial: Plays a significant role in the development and morphology of the contemporary city.
• Military: Served as a refuge or strategic base.
• Political and Administrative.
• Cultural and Recreational.
• Tourism.