Urban Plan Commentary: A City’s Spatial Evolution
Urban Plan Commentary
1. City Location
a) Environmental Context: Describe the city’s surroundings (e.g., river junctions, geographical features).
b) Specific Location: Precise location (e.g., hilltop, bay, plain). Explain the location’s significance (e.g., defense, commerce).
Example:
Location: Southern sub-plateau, along the Tagus River (water supply).
Location: Hilltop at a Tagus River bend (defensive).
2. Urban Morphology
2.1. Flatland Types
- Irregular (e.g., Toledo)
- Radiocentric (e.g., Vitoria)
- Orthogonal/Grid/Checkerboard/Hippodamian/Reticular (e.g., Barcelona)
- Linear (e.g., Ciudad Lineal, Madrid)
Often, flatland plans encompass multiple neighborhoods with unique characteristics. Analyze each morphology present.
Irregular, Linear, Orthogonal
2.2. Building Morphology
2.2.1. Urban Fabric
- Closed
- Open
2.2.2. Building Type
- Individual
- Collective
2.3. Land Use
- Industrial
- Rail Services
- Services (University, Hospital)
3. Urban Structure
3.1. Old Town
3.1.1. Pre-industrial Heritage
- Walls/Fences (partially extant)
- Cardo and Decumanus (Roman origin, e.g., Zaragoza)
- Medieval Islamic Origin (e.g., Cordoba, Toledo)
- Medieval Christian Origin (e.g., Zamora, Oviedo)
- Roman to Medieval Transformation (e.g., Merida)
- Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassicism: Market squares, central buildings, regular pathways.
- Industrial Era: Opening of major roads, densification, verticalization.
- 1960s Industrial Boom: Old plot destruction, new buildings, altered morphology, economic shifts, and residential transport changes.
- Post-Industrial Era: Rehabilitation policies (physical and social), pedestrianized shopping streets (e.g., Badajoz).
3.2. Urban Ensanche (Expansion)
- Bourgeois Eixample: Wall demolitions, order, health, economic benefits, grid plan, low-density residential use (later densified and diversified).
- Industrial Districts and Workers’ Quarters: Located on city outskirts near roads or rail stations (e.g., San Fernando in Badajoz). Mixed land uses (residential + industrial). These areas have been integrated and revalued (e.g., Pardaleras and San Roque in Badajoz).
- Workers’ Quarters near Train Stations: Expansion of the bourgeois Eixample in the late 19th century, revalued workers’ neighborhoods.
3.3. Current Urban Fringe
- Suburbs: Open planning, tower blocks (1970s), (e.g., Polygon Peace, Badajoz).
- Suburban Housing (1980s-Present): (e.g., Valdepasillas, Badajoz).
- Peri-urban Residential Areas: Detached, semi-detached, and independent houses (e.g., Rosales Huerta, Badajoz).
- Peri-urban Industrial Areas: Main industrial areas in the suburbs, near city entrances and railroads (e.g., Caceres).
- Peri-urban Service Areas: Educational, health, commercial, and recreational services (e.g., Badajoz).