Introduction:
In his book "The Living City", Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) posed a fundamental question: An ideal city without an urban center? Anticipating the marked decentralization brought about by the widespread use of the automobile, Wright foresaw a trend comparable today to technological innovations in communication and the perception of insecurity, factors that have encouraged the exodus from urban centers in favor of life and work in the peripheries, rural areas or increasingly developed suburban spaces.
The need to manage the urban center of the city as a unique space lies in the fact that it is the space where the historical memory and the most characteristic cultural and architectural heritage of the city are found, which is what constitutes the main attraction for its inhabitants and visitors. And that is why, today there is a general consensus among political leaders and technical experts regarding the importance of preserving and revitalizing urban centers, especially those with historical or traditional value. The Living City is precisely one that continues to maintain and rejuvenate its urban core through the gentrification of the city center.
The urban center requires the collaboration of both the public and private sectors, urban planning and architecture, as well as economic and social aspects. The proliferation of new forms of commerce in peri-urban areas has given a renewed appeal to the non-city to the detriment of the center, which needs to be reinvented. To do so, it is crucial to recover the concept and function of centrality, understanding its three essential components: the sociological, the morphological and the economic. The urban center must be considered as the epicenter of all forms of exchange, with infrastructures that facilitate its dynamism. It is a physical, social and perceived space whose management must be addressed from a perspective focused on human activities.
The development of the urban center is based on 4 basic ideas:
1) The urban center is a relational space in which three elements come together: people, the urban space as a physical support, and the activities that take place in this space. The interrelations between these three elements are the field of action of the mission.
2) The urban center is, in addition to a unique physical space, a human space in which priority is given to people in their different roles (residents, visitors, buyers, tourists, pedestrians, merchants, etc.). The use of spaces must guide their morphology and function within the management approach to be implemented.
3) The main attraction of an urban center is its diversity and differentiation. Promoting the diversity of uses, of the offer of services, of mixed commercial and population inclusion (multi-ethnicity and intergenerational) is one of the main recipes for its regeneration. The positioning of a centre must exploit its differential factors, compared to other urban areas and to other cities that operate in a competitive market of locations and uses.
4) Economic activity has become the driving force behind the revitalization of the urban center, and within it, commerce, services and leisure play a relevant role. Undoubtedly, the urban center has a characteristic that differentiates it from other areas of the city: centrality. This is neither unique nor exclusive, since it competes with other peripheral areas and is the main attraction to attract investors, residents and buyers. The urban center is where public intervention must be most necessary and complex to recover the habitat and transform it into a quality, comfortable, accessible, safe space at the service of the city as a whole. And this is the true key that justifies the contribution of public resources: the urban center is a space lived, perceived and used by the entire city... it is our cultural heritage.
In Summary:
Not all of us aspire to life in the suburbs or gated communities. There are those of us who deeply value the experience of living in the inner city. We choose to be close to the pulse and energy of urban life, where everything is within our reach. The idea of having to jump in a car for simple tasks like buying a liter of milk or taking a walk does not align with our lifestyle.
By strengthening urban life, we give new generations reasons to stay and contribute to the progress of their community. We create spaces for them to develop their own ideas and projects, rather than being forced to migrate in search of opportunities. In this way, urban development not only connects us to our past, but also builds a bridge to the future.
Living in the inner city is not just a personal choice; it is a commitment to preserving our cultural legacy. These spaces tell the story of who we are and where we come from, and their responsible development is a way to protect our collective identity. The streets, squares and buildings of the city centre are more than just infrastructure: they are our historical memory, and revitalising them ensures that this living heritage inspires future generations.
