Contested Public Space Development: The Case of Low Income Neighbourhoods in Xalapa, Mexico

Abstract

This paper focuses on the production of public spaces in low income neighbourhoods in Xalapa, Mexico. In this context, the improvement and development of public spaces play an important role in processes of neighbourhood upgrading and integration. However, processes of urban production are characterised by conflict and disputes, where main stakeholders interact with diverse and contradictory interests in the creation and transformation of public space. Some agents compete for the land available to the public, others struggle for organisation, improvement and development, and others contest to control these processes in order to satisfy their own agenda and interests. Residents actively participate throughout these processes and at some stages, they control public space creation and development, however when the municipality takes over processes the results can be problematic. Through these aspects the paper demonstrates that the creation of public spaces in low income neighbourhoods is coloured by negotiation, conflictive and collaborative situations. Indeed, in this case, public space represents an arena in which its political character is very alive, strongly determining the way the urban environment is transformed.