Sustainable urban evaluation of Quito´s Master Plans. Period 1942-2012

Abstract

Given the great problem of expansion and poor living conditions of the neighborhoods on the outskirts of Latin American cities, a first quick conclusion could be that there were no sustainability criteria in the Urban and Territorial Planning to control this problem. However, in the case of the city of Quito (Ecuador), we find six Management Plans from 1942 to 2012, once evaluated, based on sustainability criteria established by J. M. Naredo and J. Fariña in the Sustainability White Paper in Spanish Urban Planning (2010), we concluded that the sustainability criteria have been present and were advanced compared to other Latin American Masters Plans in this period. Quito has maintained interest in being a planned city during its different historical stages of growth, unfortunately the reality is not sustainable, settling the problem on a lack of management plans has not allowed its effectiveness. Now it is necessary that a new vision of the city should incorporate urban management, knowledge of the capacity of the territory, harmonization with the landscape, and the establishment of preventive measures against natural risks and new challenges in the future Master Plans.

Keywords: Quito, urban sprawl, master plans, urban policies, sustainable criteria.