ABSTRACT:
Landscape changes in the world’s major cities can be indicative of participation in and engagement with the forces of globalization. Although such changes are of great interest to geographers, who read and analyze urban landscapes to interpret influences, meaning, social implications, and identity, they are also very significant for others. Perceptions and impressions of a city formed or created by business people, city boosters, tourists, residents, and governments often are derived from the built landscape; transport infrastructure, innovative buildings, open spaces, cultural facilities, and physical attributes all contribute to how we “see” a city. Competition among cities to attract international investment is fierce, and governments are learning that innovation and creativity in infrastructural development are critical to gaining world-city status and thus a share of the global economic potential.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, is an excellent exemplar of urban landscape change in Latin America driven by conditions of globalization. This paper examines the Puerto Madero redevelopment project as indicative of the city's landscape restructuring policies. Through a detailed landscape and policy analysis, the strategies and implications of the project are discussed and the role of globalization in driving the project is critiqued. The paper concludes with an analysis of the project's weaknesses and the broader implications for landscape restructuring in this and other cities around the world.
