Paisaje y espacio público urbano. El deterioro de las plazas del centro histórico madrileño (1945-2015)

Abstract

In the last years, public spaces in urban centers have been the focus of attention of professionals in architecture, urban planning, sociology, anthropology, geography and, also, the users who frequent them. Squares occupy a central place in the network of public spaces in the city center and offer a unique landscape that is defined by relationship between their land they occupy and the buildings that outline them. But this landscape is deteriorating due to the renovation of historic buildings and aggressive action on the ground. The analysis of the level of deterioration of the buildings and ground of the 79 squares in the historic center of Madrid shows the intensity of this phenomenon, points to the explanatory factors and attempt to diagnose the current quality of these areas. The results of this empirical study seek to contribute to the understanding of the current crisis of public spaces and the legal initiatives which aim to restrict it.