Critical analysis of the urban planning of the City of Cuenca

Abstract

Cities all over the world must maintain a livable urban environment. New York and Barcelona were once examples to follow, but the urban vision of expansion during the last decades has given way to a paradigm that poorly comprises the development trends of the late 20th and early 21st century. Urban planning insufficiently ponders the aspirations of the urban dwellers and the city socioeconomic functions, resulting in imbalances, characterized by increasing traffic jams, social and economic injustice, and environmental degradation. As the case in the city of Cuenca, urban development clearly illustrates a poorly controlled expansion with serious frictions in labor and housing markets, with little room for green spaces within and around the city, as was the case in the past. This study attempts to illustrate the discrepancy between the theory and practice in the field of urban planning using as case study the Andean city of Cuenca. Whereas the new urban planning doctrine speaks of an intricate balance between the socioeconomic and environmental functions in the urban space, the city looks everyday more disorganized. In addition, to explaining the current planning situation of Cuenca city, on the basis of theoretical and philosophical grounds the shortcomings in urban planning are pinpointed. Good practice of urban design and planning should be based on a sound understanding of the dynamic and complex character of cities. With the manuscript the author aims to boost the scientific discussion on sound environmental and sustainable urban planning.