Montilla (2003) Socio-political Phenomena and the Rennaissance of the Public Space in the City: Caracas, 2002-2003.

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Socio-political Phenomena and the Rennaissance of the Public Space in the City: Caracas, 2002-2003.

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CONTRIBUTORS:

Author:

Montilla, Armando (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)

CONFERENCE TITLE:

Import/Export: Latin American Urbanities International Conference. Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Cambridge, Mass. USA. March 7, 2003

CONF. LOCATION:

None

YEAR:

2003

PUB TYPE:

Conference Paper

SUBJECT(S):

Public City Space, Urban Politics, Socio-Political Phenomena.

DISCIPLINE:

Architecture/Urban Planning

HTTP:

http://conferences.gsd.harvard.edu/latinamericanurbanities/

LANGUAGE:

English

PUB ID:

103-396-816 (Last edited on 2003/11/16 07:30:02 US/Mountain)

SPONSOR(S):

ABSTRACT:
The Latin American City is today a melting pot of contrasting urban conditions, social inequality, political tension and financial de-regulation due to globalization factors. In recent history, the city of Caracas has been urban-shaped by much of these factors, including modernist-style revival in the 60s, massive implementation of road infrastructure due to the booming economy in the 70s; and explosion of informal settlements in and around the city until today. As a result, the city lost the traditional (European) public space in the form of squares and pedestrian-oriented streets, shaping itself around the use of the automobile. Additionally, recent changes in the political structure of the city, have delimited a 6 million inhabitants Metropolitan area, counting 4 Metropolitan Districts encompassing two different State jurisdictions, ruled by five Mayors, with 5 different Police forces and which contains the seat of the Central National Venezuelan Government. In others words a truly ungovernable city. However most recently, in a city where public space had been reduced to enclosed areas reachable by car, where the concept of ‘street’ had given way to the highway; and where the remaining street space has been invaded by the growing presence of the informal economy; an amazing phenomenon created by a political crisis has created an unprecedented way to re-occupy the city and validate its space as ‘public’, in the form of city-wide massive public demonstrations; which have transformed the highways in impromptu pedestrian boulevards, at the obvious absence of any other relevant-size public arena in the city.

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