Urban Planning Concepts: Linear City & Regional Analysis

Modified Urban Plan Characteristics

• Increased land value
• Increased number of floors
• Standardized blocks (100x100m or 125x125m)
• Wide "Rondas" (50m wide)

The Linear City Concept

Context and Origin

The Linear City was a proposal by Arturo Soria y Mata, a Spanish engineer, architect, and urban planner. He presented his project in 1882, with development commencing in 1894.

Concept and Design

Soria's project proposed an elongated city extending along a main transportation route, with a constant width, creating a linear structure instead of the traditional radial or concentric forms. The linear city was planned to extend approximately 48 km and be about 500 meters in width. An electric tram was proposed to run the entire length of the city.

Urban Characteristics

Land Use Distribution

A balanced combination of residential, commercial, and industrial zones was planned along the main route, complemented by green areas.

Infrastructure

The design included modern infrastructures for the time, such as sanitation systems, electricity, and electric trams.

Development and Execution

Construction

Soria founded Compañía Madrileña de Urbanización (CMU), and the first developed section of the project was between the limit of Madrid and the village of San Martín de la Rosa.

Achievements and Limitations

Achievements

The Linear City succeeded in materializing part of the project, including the construction of houses and transportation infrastructure.

Limitations

Despite initial enthusiasm, the full expansion was not completed. Financial problems, lack of government support, and real estate speculation limited the full development of the project, reaching only 5 km of extension.

Regional Planning Fundamentals

Region Defined

A region refers to the scales and boundaries within a territory.

Types of Regions

Regions are areas of the territory with similar features. They can be categorized as:

• Political: National States
• Administrative: Municipalities
• Physical: Natural and adapted environmental conditions
• Functional: Defined by the relationships among cities

The Territorial Pattern

The territorial pattern is the overlapping of the territorial base and the city network.

Territorial Base

The territorial base includes protected natural areas, encompassing elements such as:

• Topography
• Hydrography
• Rural areas

City Network

The city network describes the relationships among settlements and the exchange of flows, including:

• People
• Services
• Products
• Information

Goals of Regional Analysis

• Characterize settlement distribution and population.
• Characterize settlement dynamics, including:
  • Supply (jobs, leisure, services)
  • Demand (population needs)

Key Data for Regional Analysis

• Location of settlements and administrative subdivisions.
• Distances among settlements (main roads).
• Typologies of settlement distribution (concentrated, dispersed, linear).
• Connectivity: Communication infrastructure, frequency, and quality.
• Tendencies and flows.
• Urban hierarchy: Level of urban activities offered and population covered.