One Metropolis Three Realities by Antonela Sborlini

One Metropolis Three Realities Critical and Interpretive Analysis of the System of Centralities of the Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires

School of Architecture, Urban Planning, Construction Engineering Master of Science in Urban Planning and Policy Design a.y. 2018/2019

AUTHOR Antonela Sborlini (871172) SUPERVISOR Prof. Giulia Fini

Initial considerations

• • • •

The topic: Why ‘One Metropolis, Three Realities’?

• • •

Main problem of the region: Socio-territorial segregation and polarization The System of Centralities as an expression of population dynamics Interpretive identification of three types of Cities or realities: ‘The Traditional Mixed City’, ‘the City of the Elite’ and ‘the Informal City’.

• •

A multiscale meta-project as a planning exercise Integrated metropolitan development through the design of a system of powerful and attractive centralities Support the System of Centralities through an efficient network of open public spaces and accessibility Reproduce synergies from the city to the metropolitan scale Apply the concepts of temporality and adaptability for local strategies Intervene in Strategic Central Places

• • • •

Understand the Latin American metropolitan context through the analysis of the system of centralities of Buenos Aires Focus on the main planning instruments with a metropolitan vision Analyze them critically: What degree of effective materialization? Set the basis for a meta-project or planning exercise

The aim

The proposal

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Structure of the Thesis • • • • •

Introduction to the complexity of the Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires Comparison as a methodology for understanding the context Metropolitan growth and expansion Planning instruments governing the metropolitan region The challenges of a Region: One Metropolis, Three Realities

Definitions, Characteristics, Instruments and Policies for analyzing the System of Centralities

• • •

Urban Centralities and its supportive systems Consolidated centers and the emergence of new centralities Policies for Urban Centralities: Ideas vs. Reality

Reflections on the accuracy of Urban Policies for the integrated development of the System of Centralities – A multiscale approach

• • • • •

Planning an integrated and coherent Metropolitan Region ‘From the Point to the Network’ ‘From the City to the Metropolis’ ‘From Static interventions to New dynamics’ Future Scenarios: Guidelines for Central Places

Understanding the Context that shaped the Metropolitan System of Centralities

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Understanding the Context that shaped the Metropolitan System of Centralities

Introduction to the complexity of the Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires

The Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires is a complex and heterogeneous territory located in the northeast part of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and constituted by 39 different municipalities plus the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

Argentina

Province of Buenos Aires

(National scale)

(Province scale)

Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires

Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (City scale)

(Metropolitan scale) Provinces

44M inhabitants

2.7M sqKm surface

Municipalities

18M inhabitants

310.000 sqKm surface

City of Buenos Aires First ring Second ring Third ring

16M inhabitants

14.000 sqKm surface

Communes Neighborhoods

3M inhabitants

203 sqKm surface 5/36

Comparison as a methodology for understanding the context

The comparison is a useful research methodology in order to understand working dynamics and the analyzed problematics. The Latin American context is not assimilable to the European one, but the comparison is revealing.

Italy

Province of Buenos Aires

(National scale)

(Province scale)

Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires

Metropolitan area of Milan (Metropolitan scale)

(Metropolitan scale) Regions Lombardy Milan

60 M inhabitants

300.000 sqKm surface

200 inhab./sqKm density

Municipalities

18 M inhabitants

310.000 sqKm surface

60 inhab./sqKm density

City of Buenos Aires First ring Second ring Third ring

16 M inhabitants

14.000 sqKm surface

1.200 inhab./sqKm density

Consolidated metropolitan area of Milan – Bergamo – Varese (del Fabbro, 2015) Metropolitan City of Milan (Law 56/2014) Milan

5M inhabitants

3.000 sqKm surface

1.600 inhab./sqKm density 6/36

Comparison as a methodology for understanding the context

Italy

Province of Buenos Aires

(National scale)

(Province scale)

Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires

Metropolitan area of Milan (Metropolitan scale)

(Metropolitan scale) Regions Lombardy Milan

60 M inhabitants

300.000 sqKm surface

200 inhab./sqKm density

Municipalities

18 M inhabitants

310.000 sqKm surface

60 inhab./sqKm density

City of Buenos Aires First ring Second ring Third ring

16 M inhabitants

14.000 sqKm surface

1.200 inhab./sqKm density

Consolidated metropolitan area of Milan – Bergamo – Varese (del Fabbro, 2015) Metropolitan City of Milan (Law 56/2014) Milan

5M inhabitants

3.000 sqKm surface

1.600 inhab./sqKm density 7/36

Metropolitan growth and expansion | The role of the railways and the compact city

During the first decades of conformation of the modern city (after the foundation period 1536-1800), the urban expansion process was linked to the railway lines, in a compact and continuous way.

1892

1910

1948

First urban agglomerations and the railway network

Beginning of the urban expansion process

Densification of the City of Buenos Aires

Railways Urban agglomeration

The XIXth Century (1800-1930) The conformation of the Modern City

Railways Urban agglomeration

Railways First highways (Gral Paz highway) Urban agglomeration

Industrialization and urban growth (1930-1970) The economic model of imports’ substitution

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Metropolitan growth and expansion | Highways and dispersed settlements

From the decade of the 70s, a disorganized and expansive process started due to internal dynamics and economic changes. It was exacerbated since the 90s by the construction of fast communication routes that encouraged the emergence of dispersed and disconnected urban archipelagos.

1979

1996

2006

North, west and south expansion “Continuum sprawl”

Highways and New Urban Forms, “Urban archipelagos”

Current trends…

Railways Highways Urban agglomeration

Crisis of an economic model and urban transformations (1970 - 1990). Strong internal migration

Railways Highways Urban agglomeration

New scenarios and New Urban Forms (1990 - today) Neoliberalism and globalization

Railways Highways Urban agglomeration

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Metropolitan growth and expansion |Changes over time as visuals 1940…

…2019

9 de Julio Avenue (1937 2015), Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina

1940…

…2019

Retiro central railway station (1945 – 2007), Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina

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Planning instruments governing the metropolitan region The metropolitan territory is governed by a multiplicity of planning instruments that operate in an autonomous and isolated manner, circumscribed to rigid administrative limits. The analyzed documents represent a novelty due to their recognition of the Metropolitan scale.

SGMRBA Intervention areas and actions Summary – re elaboration

The Metropolitan scale 2007 – SGMRBA Strategic Guidelines for the Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires • Reference framework to discuss and give coherence to public policies that involve the Metropolitan territory.

New port Concentric highways Activity areas and centers Centralities Influence area Peripheral neighborhoods Critical areas Railways Coastal front and peri urban edge

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UEP Strategic actions Summary – re elaboration

Balance the development of the city Affirm and complete the urban center of the region Achieve the north-south transversal link and strengthen centers Enhance the system of large parks Promote the realization of a large operation in the axis of the Riachuelo

The City scale 2008 – UEP Urban Environmental Plan Law 71/98 and 2930/09 • Technical-political instrument for the identification and implementation of territorial and environmental planning strategies.

2011 – TM Territorial Model 2010-2060 • “Flexible methodological toolbox”, an instrument for diagnosis, analysis, and planning. • It sets the guidelines for the spatialization of the territorial guidelines provided by the Urban Environmental Plan.

TM Desired City Summary – re elaboration Structure and Centralities Agglomeration economies Specialization economies Political Centrality Expanded Centrality Transport and mobility Housing Green System

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The Challenges of a Region: One Metropolis, Three Realities There are many problems and challenges for the region, but the process of socioterritorial polarization and segregation, which was exacerbated during the 90s, is a crucial one. This is reflected into the emergence of scattered New Urban Forms, defining new metropolitan realities, in contrast with the compact traditional city.

The Traditional mixed City Traditional Centralities • Traditional residential models constituting a compact urban fabric • Historical growth associated to the railway lines • Mixed uses and mixed populations

The City for the Elites Emergent peripheral Centralities

New Urban Forms Diagnosis summary – Own elaboration

Residential Typologies Slums (villas miseria) and Informal Settlements Social Housing (Federal Programs) Country Clubs and Gated Communities Commercial and Industrial Activities Shopping Malls and Main Shopping Centers Industrial Parks (main industrial areas) Railway Lines Main Metropolitan Highways Main Water courses

• New real estate peripheral developments for high-income populations • Associated to the highways and the role of the private car • Services and commercial agglomerations

The City of the Excluded ones Informal Centralities • Informal residential models in illegally occupied and vacant spaces • Degraded and/or polluted areas not easily accessible • Popular agglomerations related to informal commercial activities and services 13/36

Definitions, Characteristics, Instruments and Policies for analyzing the System of Centralities

Urban Centrality and its supportive systems | Definitions

Urban Centrality and its associated systems of Open Spaces and Accessibility, are complex concepts with an important level of ambiguity. It is important to define them in relation to the Latin American context, focusing on the reality of Buenos Aires.

Urban Centrality

Open Spaces

Accessibility

Latin American configurations

Anchors in the contemporary city

A layout for Centralities and Open Spaces

Open Spaces are collective parts of the city, play a key role in the urban structure, supporting morphological, economic, social and environmental issues

The Streets are the layout of the Urban Blocks and the organizer of the Open Spaces (Carmona et.al., 2010)

Central areas are poles that attract and concentrate activities with an influence area that goes beyond its core. They could be an urban center or a polarizing element, such as a shopping mall, a cultural, financial or administrative center (Choay, 1988) Central functions are not constrained to historic areas, they are placed on the fringes, close to large accessibility axis or transport hubs (Brandao & Pinto, 2015)

They have a polarizing effect characterized by a scattered and diffused territorial configuration (Brandao & Pinto, 2015)

(…) the term “Urban Centrality” can be considered as a form of “Accessibility” (Port, 2008; Shen, 2017), stressing the idea that some places are more important than others because they are more central

The Public Space Network facilitates and accommodates the overlapping realms of “movement space” and “Social Space”

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Consolidated centers and the emergence of new centralities A monocentric system of traditional centralities overlapped with a polycentric one that emerged during the last decades. Traditional consolidated centers contrast and coexist with new centralities manifesting the presence of a segregated and polarized territory.

New exogenous Centralities The City of the Elite Informal Centralities The City of the excluded ones Case studies

01•

(analyzed centralities) 04 01 03 05

Emergent peripheral Centralities The City for the Elites 04•

Traditional Centralities The Traditional mixed City

Traditional Centralities The Traditional mixed City Main regional and historical centrality | Microcentro Buenos Aires 02• Expanded or extended centrality | Puerto Madero 03• Traditional sub-centrality | San Miguel

Main regional and historical centrality Expanded or extended centrality Traditional sub-centrality New exogenous and peripheral centrality Informal centrality in a permanent structure Informal intermittent centrality

01 02 03 04 05 06

New exogenous and peripheral centrality | Las Palmas del Pilar

Informal Centralities The City of the Excluded ones 05•

Informal centrality in a permanent structure | La Salada 06• Informal intermittent centrality | Las Flores

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Consolidated centers and the emergence of new centralities | Traditional Centralities 01

Main regional and historical centrality | Microcentro Buenos Aires

Traditional Centralities The Traditional mixed City Own elaboration

• Core of the traditional monocentric structure • Foundational area and reference point for the entire region • Agglomeration of command functions and financial activities

Main regional and historical centrality Expanded centrality Local center Urban center Regional center Existing railways Projected railways Population density

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Consolidated centers and the emergence of new centralities | Traditional Centralities 02

Extended or expanded centrality | Puerto Madero • Real estate operation of urban regeneration associated with the historic regional center • Service, commercial and residential functions for high-income groups • High rise buildings and controlled “open” spaces

Traditional Centralities The Traditional mixed City Own elaboration

Main regional and historical centrality Expanded centrality Local center Urban center Regional center Existing railways Projected railways Population density

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Consolidated centers and the emergence of new centralities | Traditional Centralities 03

Traditional sub-centrality | San Miguel

Traditional Centralities The Traditional mixed City Own elaboration

• Compact urban tissue associated to the railway • Civic, commercial and command functions at a Municipal scale • The square as the main organizing public space

Main regional and historical centrality Expanded centrality Local center Urban center Regional center Existing railways Projected railways Population density

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Consolidated centers and the emergence of new centralities | New Exogenous Centralities 04

New exogenous and peripheral centrality | Las Palmas del Pilar

New exogenous Centralities The City of the Elite Own elaboration

• Dispersed globalization artifacts for high-income populations • Associated to the highway and the private car • Commercial functions and services

Local Urban center Tertiary Regional center Secondary Regional center Existing Highways Projected Highways Country clubs and gated communities

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Consolidated centers and the emergence of new centralities | Informal Centralities 05

Informal centrality in a permanent structure | La Salada • Flooding and polluted area following a watercourse • Night and intermittent operation in an existing structure • Concentration of commercial activities, services, and events for different ethnic groups

Informal Centralities The City of the excluded ones Own elaboration

Informal commercial centrality Informal and intermittent central place Matanza Riachuelo river Informal settlements and slums

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Consolidated centers and the emergence of new centralities | Informal Centralities 06

Informal intermittent centrality | Las Flores

Informal Centralities The City of the excluded ones Own elaboration

• Temporary and informal facilities for commercial activities and services • Vacant or underused area with difficult access • Daytime operation mainly during weekends

Informal commercial centrality Informal and intermittent central place Matanza Riachuelo river Informal settlements and slums

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Policies for Urban Centralities: Ideas vs. Reality | Planning instruments assessment

Program for New Urbanizations New metropolitan Centralities

The Metropolitan scale

Own elaboration

(SGMRBA) Strategic Guidelines for the Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires

Traditional centralities Railway lines Existing highways Projected Highway (Pte. Peron) Proposed new Centralities Peri urban border

• Program for the Strengthening of Traditional Centralities • Program for New Urbanizations

Pte. Derqui node (Pilar) La Reja node (Moreno)

2008

2019

01 02

01 01

2008

2019

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Policies for Urban Centralities: Ideas vs. Reality | Planning instruments assessment

The City scale (UEP) Urban Environmental Plan and (TM) Territorial Model Desired scenario for the Urban and Centralities’ structure • Area of Sustainable growth • Codified urban sustainability units

Urban and Regional green corridors Paseo del Bajo

• New Urban and Regional green corridors • Delimited decentralized political jurisdictions • Decentralized political headquarters • Decentralized government district • New network of intermodal exchange nodes • Boosted Expanded Central Area • New pedestrian priority areas • Regional Scale centrality • Activated agglomeration economies

Decentralized political headquarters Comuna 12

• Defined specialization economies

Decentralized government district Government main building

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Policies for Urban Centralities: Ideas vs. Reality | Planning instruments assessment

The Local scale Urban acupuncture interventions located in commercial corridors and Open Spaces • Open-air shopping complexes • (SGMRBA - UEP – TM) Consolidation of neighborhood centers

Pedestrian and commercial street in San Fernando

• (UEP – TM) Travelling fairs of neighborhood supply

Pedestrian and commercial street in Moron

Pedestrian and commercial street in Lomas de Zamora

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Reflections on the accuracy of Urban Policies for the integrated development of the System of Centralities – A multiscale approach

Planning an integrated and coherent Metropolitan Region | A multiscale strategy Scales

Strategies

Issues and tools

Metropolitan Scale

City Scale

Local Scale

From the Point…

From the City…

…To the Network

…To the Metropolis

• Centralities as a network • Open and Public Spaces network • Accessibility and infrastructure network

• Metropolitan integration • Reproduction of the “City” experience • The Hub, the Street and the Square

From Static interventions…

… To New dynamics

• Temporality • Adaptability • Social inclusion

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From the Point to the Network | Metropolitan Integrated System

Metropolitan system of Centers

Metropolitan System of Centers

Metropolitan Public Open Spaces and Environmental system

• Coherent system of Metropolitan Centralities with a differentiated identity • Integrated network of Centers of different rank and value within the metropolitan structure

Metropolitan Accessibility network Strategic Areas (improved centralities) 03

Metropolitan Public Open Spaces and Environmental System • Natural system of support to the structure of Centralities • Guarantees Public Open Spaces with good quality for boosting social activities

02 04

Living regional and historical center Traditional sub-centers with identity Inclusive leisure and services districts Popular market places

01 02 03 04

Metropolitan Accessibility Network • Integrated system that allows radial and concentric displacements connecting the main Metropolitan Centralities • Fundamental support for the network of Centralities at the metropolitan level 28/36

From the Point to the Network | Metropolitan scale guidelines and actions

The Hub 01

Living regional and historical center

Main regional and historical and Expanded Centralities

Inclusive leisure and services districts New Exogeneous Centralities • Replace parking areas for new parks and “piazzas” • Develop peripheral mobility Hubs to boost inter-modality and facilitate accessibility

• Limit the increase in Land values and avoid Gentrification • Introduce social inclusive activities

The Street 02

Traditional sub-centers with identity

Popular market places

Traditional Sub-Centralities

Informal Centralities

• Implement pedestrian zones and shared streets • Control and regulate densification and land value’s increase

• Improve Public Space’s qualities • Introduce new functions when there are no ongoing activities

The Square

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From the City to the Metropolis | City scale guidelines and actions

Urban Art

Metropolitan collaborative code

The Street

Lively commercial shared streets

Regulation as a reproduction of the planning mechanisms successfully implemented in the City of Buenos Aires

Streets and commercial avenues • Control the side effects of the “beautification" processes

• Boost coordination between Planning instruments

Equipment

The Hub

Interchange mobility hubs Train, bus and metro stations, metropolitan accesses • Locate new metropolitan mobility HUBs close to highways crossings

Temporary Events

The Square

Inclusive popular squares Open spaces with potential to be constituted as central places • Encourage the development of social and popular activities such as open-air markets

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From the Static interventions to New dynamics | Local scale guidelines and actions

Urban Art

Flexible regulation and simple permits Mechanisms for the fast and efficient approval of the proposals tending to revitalize and improve Urban centralities

Inclusive expressive urban art Allowed art expressions and activities aimed at revitalizing and characterizing the Spaces of Centrality, in a dynamic and spontaneous way • Propose collaborative themes and festivals

Equipment

Temporary Events

Sustainable adaptative urban equipment

Temporary local activities and events

Equipment and differentiated urban materials adapted to their target use and location

Temporary or seasonal activities that guarantee the efficient and permanent use of Urban Public Spaces

• Strengthen each Center’s identity through materials

• Avoid incompatible events and activities through coordination mechanisms

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Future scenarios: Guidelines for Central Places | Applied Strategic guidelines Traditional Centers with Identity From anonymous spaces to identity places

Inclusive Leisure and Services district From non-places to new social condensers

San Miguel, a center for Arts

Palmas del Pilar, a community house for leisure

Connect the internal galleries in a continuous thematic tour Propose intermittent and itinerant activities in different locations

Open internal spaces and connect to the surroundings

Improve the qualities of the most important Open Public Space “The Square”

Introduce Green Spaces and new functions in parking areas

Boost new related functions and activities in the surroundings Redesign the access door to the centrality (the train station) Establish specific spaces for spontaneous artistic expressions

Activities to be promoted in each traditional metropolitan sub-center, in order to generate a network of interdependent and differentiated centralities with identity

Increase the provision of public transport through the design of a HUB Boost new functions in the surroundings Improve the qualities of the Urban equipment and provide new urban furniture

A peripheral structure of large dimensions for activities related with commerce, services and leisure which is open to all types of populations 32/36

Future scenarios: Guidelines for Central Places | Applied Strategic guidelines Popular market places From informal centralities to social inclusive centers

Popular market places From informal centralities to social inclusive centers

La Salada, folk centrality

Las Flores, weekly recreational artisan centrality

Increase Public Transport provision and improve streets and sidewalks

Dilute plot boundaries (integrate Centrality to the surroundings)

Decrease densities and coordinate intermittent shops

Improve green infrastructure (environmental mitigation areas)

Improve and qualify Open Green Spaces

Reactivate existing Train Station and generate a new local HUB

Boost new functions and activities in the surroundings

Localize a new transportation HUB in order to increase Accessibility

Replace parking places with areas for events and green spaces

Boost new functions and activities in the surroundings

Improve Open Spaces with low quality (new social condensers)

Increase Public Transport provision and improve streets and sidewalks

Improved centrality where existing functions are complemented with new ones, acting as a popular and self-managed urban catalyst

Improved centrality for activities related to commercial exchange and temporary services, complemented by new green and open spaces for leisure 33/36

Conclusion | Guidelines for an integrated vision of the Metropolitan System of Centralities of Buenos Aires

PART 01 Analyzing the territory for identifying Three Realities

• • • •

• • •

PART 02 Centralities and Planning instruments’ assessment: proposals vs. reality

• • • •

The Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires is a vast and unique territory The territorial expansion process defined the emergence of New Urban Forms associated to the mobility infrastructure Different instruments without coordination govern the territory Three metropolitan realities are the result of a process of socio-territorial segregation and polarization

Centrality, open spaces and accessibility must be understood within the Latin American context The term centrality refers to historic civic condensers and new spaces with commercial and service functions There is an overlap and coexistence of a traditional monocentric model with a polycentric one Metropolitan realities are manifested through their central places, their open spaces and their accessibility level Planning instruments’ strategies at metropolitan scale were not materialized Planning instruments’ guidelines are limited to the traditional centralities (no consideration about emergent or informal ones) The instruments refer to a metropolitan vision but do not consider all its dimensions together 34/36

Conclusion | Guidelines for an integrated vision of the Metropolitan System of Centralities of Buenos Aires

PART 03 A multiscale approach for an integrated metropolitan vision

•

Planning exercise (meta-project) based on territorial interpretation and planning instruments’ critical analysis

•

Multiscale approach through the strategies and tools at metropolitan, city and local levels: from the ‘Point to the Network’, the ‘City to the Metropolis’ and ‘Static interventions to New dynamics’

•

Interrelation of complex systems: the Metropolitan system of centers and its supportive systems

•

Identification of strategic areas for the implementation of policies and actions: ‘Living regional and historical center’, ‘Traditional sub-centers with identity’, ‘Inclusive leisure and services districts’ and ‘Popular market places’

•

Coherent, integrated and coordinated metropolitan system of centralities to overcome socio-territorial polarization and segmentation

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Thank you for your attention Antonela Sborlini