The structure of Spanish cities: a complex interweaving of continuity and change, uses and forms

Abstract

The quick succession of urban paradigms over the last few decades has contributed to the transformation in the traditional perception of the structure of the city, so it is probable that there is no longer a single, unique format that can allow us to fit together the many pieces that make up the dynamic construction of the urban space. This current article presents a scheme with which to interpret the city model, built up and rebuilt after two decades of urban practice and accelerated urban growth (1996–2016). The article is based on the hypothesis that a greater density of episodes (boom and crisis) and elements (housing, infrastructures and facilities) linked to the new city makes it necessary to redefine the major characteristics of the city’s structure, in which what is relevant is no longer the components, but the way in which the different parts of the urban set are related.