Metropolitan cultural infrastructures

Introduction

An area or metropolitan zone is an urban region that encompasses a main city (the metropolis) that gives its name to the area and a series of cities that can function as dormitory, industrial, commercial and service cities. It is also known as urban network.

The concept of metropolitan area is essential to understand the urban reality of our time: it is a phenomenon that mainly develops from the century onwards, related in its beginnings to the Industrial Revolution and that, above all, at the end of the century it affects the majority of large and medium-sized cities, no longer only produced by economic development and social development in developed countries, but also, due to the high rates of demographic growth, in emerging and Third World countries. The mere observation of the peripheral environment of cities like Granada manifests this in an obvious way, through the evolution of communications, the proliferation of new activities, urban expansion and, at a social level, with the indistinct location of all social strata throughout the area, as a habitual residence.

Metropolitan areas constitute the basic poles of the city system. According to the theoretical profile, they function as true centers of innovation, cultural, social and demographic, at the same time that they concentrate a large part of the economic power, and in them lie important decision centers that – in one way or another – influence the various components of the system of cities inserted in their area of influence.[1].

There are numerous examples of metropolitan areas in the world:.

In South America: Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, Greater Buenos Aires,

Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro, Metropolitan Lima, Metropolitan Region Bogotá-Cundinamarca, Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Belo Horizonte, Greater Caracas, Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley, Greater Guayaquil, the Metropolitan District of Quito, Greater Córdoba, Greater Rosario, Metropolitan Area of Maracaibo, Metropolitan Area of Arequipa, Metropolitan Area of Cali, Greater Concepción, Greater Valparaíso, Metropolitan Area of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Metropolitan Region of Cochabamba, El Alto-La Paz metropolitan area, Greater Asunción, Montevideo metropolitan area, Trujillo metropolitan area, among the most populated and extensive.

In North America and Central America: Metropolitan area of the Toluca Valley, Greater Santo Domingo of the Dominican Republic,

Metropolitan cultural infrastructures

Introduction

There are numerous examples of metropolitan areas in the world:.

In South America: Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, Greater Buenos Aires,

Different models of urban organization

The central concept that differentiates the concept "metropolitan area" from other demographic organizations is found in the focus given to that grouping. Either the idea of a radial system, centralized with a main city, whose size is generally defined by the corresponding administrations, and with high population densities – metropolitan area. Or the consideration of the urban core as the sum of one or more main cities that in turn may have their corresponding metropolitan areas, and which, due to their growth, have come to merge into a higher grouping –conurbation–. In certain cases of this second model, the physical extension and population would be enormous, forming urban spaces with tens of millions of inhabitants that would group together already large cities and form megalopolises. In practice, the concepts: metropolis, metropolitan area, conurbation, megalopolis and other more general concepts can refer to the same thing, but previously setting the qualities or variables that we wish to include in the geographical space, proximity or population density being typical, but not definitive.

The sociological thinking on urban society is enriching: consider whether it is that of sociologists themselves (Alain Touraine in The Transformation of Metropolis) or that of filmmakers (Fritz Lang in Metropolis) or that of specialists in human ecology (Amos H. Hawley" in The Structure of Social Systems, a classic).

Finally, the development of many rural areas with thousands of single-family houses, roads instead of streets, numerous housing developments, green spaces everywhere instead of parks and an area of tens of square kilometers, has built a new concept of city that no longer has much to do with the typical city, as it has very expensive infrastructure due to its low density and large area, but a higher quality of life. There is therefore great concern and dedication on the part of the municipality for the definition of priorities and their budget allocation. The study of social priorities as indices, which make up social indicators of regional development, which is the ultimate objective of such regional plans, deserves independent treatment. Although it is not the only topic, transportation, media, education, health and, of course, work deserve a prominent place and the area must be equipped with all of this.

There are well-documented projects underway of this new human condition for new questions and answers.

Different models of urban organization

There are well-documented projects underway of this new human condition for new questions and answers.

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Metropolitan cultural infrastructures

Introduction

Metropolitan cultural infrastructures

Introduction

Different models of urban organization

Metropolitan areas by population

in literature

General

Literature

References

Different models of urban organization

Metropolitan areas by population

in literature

General

Literature

References