Urban Development in Spain: Settlement, Structure, and Network
Urban Settlement in Spain
The process of urbanization in Spain dates back to ancient times and has been developing over the centuries. In recent decades, urban settlement in our country has undergone significant transformations:
- Cities are centers of tertiary activities. Those with a greater area of influence play a large number of roles.
- Large metropolitan areas (Madrid and Barcelona) have been consolidated and become major economic centers that influence an increasingly extensive territory.
- Major cities in some metropolitan areas have lost population, while nearby population centers have grown.
- The growth of cities is organized by town planning departments, regulating urban land use, construction of buildings and open spaces, the preservation of historical and artistic sites, and the creation of green areas.
- Historic neighborhoods, extensions, and the most dilapidated urban areas have been rehabilitated or restored with cleaning and restoration of facades and streets, improving infrastructure, and the restriction of vehicular traffic.
- Numerous projects have modernized the image of the city, such as the ’92 Expo in Seville, the Olympic City of Barcelona, and the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia.
- Lines of communication and transportation systems have been expanded and improved, including the construction of ring roads, metro networks, and railway lines.
Structure of the City
The structure of Spanish cities can be broadly divided into the center and the periphery:
1. Center
- Historical Center: Includes places and buildings of great cultural and artistic value, as well as commercial and business areas.
- Residential Areas and Ensanches: Built in the 19th and 20th centuries, these areas welcome affluent social groups, homes, businesses, offices, and luxury shops.
- The Ancient Quarters of Workers: These are all part of the urban center and have been reformed with the creation of green areas, restoration of buildings and streets, and the construction of cultural and entertainment centers.
2. Urban Periphery
Its growth is due to the development of transport and the increasing price of homes in the city center.
- Residential Areas: Various types of housing, including apartment blocks, houses, and townhouses.
- Industrial Areas: Located on the main access routes to the city, they include factories, warehouses, industrial warehouses, and office buildings.
- Areas of Equipment and Services: These areas have large commercial and leisure centers.
Urban Network
Spain’s urban network can be characterized as follows:
- Peripheral: Most of the big cities are located on the periphery, in coastal areas or in their vicinity. Inside, there are some important urban centers.
- Bicephalous: It has two ‘heads’, highlighting Madrid and Barcelona.
- Divided into Geographical Areas: The urban network is divided into the northern third, the Mediterranean axis, the interior peninsular, Andalusia, and the island regions.
Regional Breakdown
- Northern Third: Two axes, Cantabrian and Atlantic.
- Interior Peninsular: Madrid dominates; the Ebro corridor (Zaragoza) stands out.
- Island Regions: Palma de Mallorca, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and Las Palmas.
- Andalusia: Two axes, one extending along the coast and another along the Guadalquivir valley.
- Mediterranean Axis: From Catalonia to the Region of Murcia.