Urban design dimension in the analysis of the Spanish peripheries: The case of Valladolid

Abstract

During the last decades cities have developed as never before, and their configuration represents a potential testing ground from many different perspectives. The Spanish experience reveals that, although there has been an important increase of the population, the sprawl of urban areas is not proportionally to the increase of population. In the emerging territorial scheme, new urban categories are arising, as land consumption is primary made by infrastructure and some other complementary uses related to the residential ones. Taking this account, the specific aim of this paper is to study what is the spatial configuration and urban design of these new periphery. In other words, by analyzing the growth of the city in these last decades, we will be able to draw an inference from this new condition of occupying the territory in the design and spatial transformation of these new residential areas. Considering the case of Valladolid, an area that new developments have increased in almost 50 percent in the last twenty years -one of the highest rates in Spain-, it is particularly interesting to explore the guidelines that have been drawn in order to clarify the development of these new urban areas, mainly referred to the periphery of the city. The studio will focus not only on the urban politics that were outlined over these two last decades, but on a thorough research of the state of implemented local plans and neighborhoods. Finally, some specific conclusions that result from this study in reference to the residential uses and their urban design and spatial transformation will be stated.