Quito: la búsqueda de una política para el espacio público

Abstract

If we considered the city as the core of social relationships, then its public space will be the support in which these relations are developed and allow the integration of innumerable urban activities with each other and with the territory. From this point, the importance of studying public space appears more relevant inside the urban planning; for this reason the analysis of study cases becomes really important, especially if these cases have achieved great goals in the transformation of urban space through actions that involve a range of public space policies. Some cases in the Latin-American area are highlighted with cities such as Curitiba, Medellin, and others, which allowed a revival of their urban spaces. But there are another cities like Quito in Ecuador, which has a case of study little known and parsimonious, but it has achieved to begin a process to update its public space. This is the principal reason that influences this research, which wants to understand this historical process, little studied or recognized; despite the great changes that generated into the city. This need is reflected in the research of some historical clues, guides and intentions, which can be identified and analyzed objectively, though critical reading of planning texts and projects from the first decade of the XXI century. This period begins a turning point that allows the recovering of public space in the historical district. These facts allowed the city to begin a change on its action logic about the urban space, which is an interesting fact, because Quito doesn’t have a clear policy for the public space. That is a reason that makes us the question: which are the criteria that influenced the birth of a new concept of public space? By exploring and researching the events regarding plans, strategies and projects, it is proposed to find the implicit rules that have guided Quito in the exploration of its policy for the public space.