Urban Evolution: Industrial to Postindustrial Cities in Spain
Industrial Urbanization
The period marked by generalized growth in most cities benefited from the location of certain government services and institutions. The arrival of substantial immigration resulted in the need to tear down the old walls. Widenings appeared with orthogonal geometric plans. These expansions were dedicated to the residence of the emerging commercial and industrial bourgeoisie. At the time of its creation, it took a regular grid plan with straight roads, most of them wider than the old city. Around the industrial areas began to emerge, as well as slums in the urban periphery. The first landscaped neighborhoods also appeared.
Changes in the Preindustrial City
The preindustrial city suffered prominent changes (old town) in the plane. In the first third of the 21st century, reforms were favored by secularization, which allowed for the opening or widening of streets and squares and correcting winding paths with straight ones. The plot intensified to make better use of space, and building construction experienced changes. Land use underwent a progressive outsourcing experiment.
The Postindustrial City
The following changes occurred:
- Decreased rate of urban growth
- Changes in the factors of urbanization
- Slowed growth process of small and medium-sized cities, and even nearby rural nuclei
Spanish cities today are characterized by metropolitan areas. There is the appearance of other conurbations, such as urban areas and megacities. In relation to other areas of the city today, the following is revealed:
- In the old town, integrated rehabilitation policies are carried out
- The expansion areas are modernized
- Suburban working-class neighborhoods have been fully incorporated into the city
Vocabulary
Outsourcing of the economy: A process by which the tertiary sector gains weight with respect to the other two sectors (primary and secondary) to become the leading sector, both in the employed population and in the contribution to GDP.
Production services: Tertiary activities (design, management, marketing) that support the production service industry; employment can exceed that of the industrial company due to its mechanization.
PEIT (Strategic Infrastructure Plan for Transport): Governs Spanish transport policy.
Transportation System: The set of media that allows the movement of people and goods between certain geographic locations.
Highway: A road equipped with high-capacity roadways separated for both traffic and level crossings. It permits the free movement of large numbers of vehicles at high speed (120 km/h in Spain).
Autovia: A road with a large capacity similar to a highway due to the existence of separate roads for the two directions of movement, but it lacks some of its characteristics.
Renfe: Spanish National Railways Network, absorbs over 90% of the highest rail traffic. It allows connection with the fewest number of lines, reducing costs, among others.
Tourism: An activity that implies a temporary residence and leisure pursuits (cultural, recreational, etc.).
Tour operator: Wholesalers are companies that integrate all phases of a tourist trip (contracting hotels, transport, etc.).
Tourist seasonality: Concentration of tourism demand in certain months of the year. In Spain, sun and beach tourism is predominant (summer months).
Trade balance: Difference between imports and exports.
Balance of payments: A document that includes all transactions (economic exchanges). It records the income and expenditure of a country with the rest of the world, including the trade balance, financial products, etc.