Montevideo

Abstract

The city of Montevideo has experienced in the last 20 years significant urban changes that cannot be dissociated from a global context. In particular while the total population has remained stable, an ongoing urban restructuring is taking place. The emergence of ‘new centralities’ and ‘re-centralisation’ processes can be observed with the construction of new consumption spaces, which generated a new peripheral condition of the city’s traditional commercial ‘centre’. In addition, significant changes in planning authorities and policies have led to an important debate on the strategies applied and the possible consequences of a market led and unpredicted urban growth for the future of Montevideo city. This city profile focuses first on the different stages of development of Montevideo describing geographical and historical conditions. Following the present urban structure is explored describing land use, population and socio-economic organisation. Finally, the last 20 years of the city’s development and the effects of economic changes under globalisation on urban form and management structures are analysed.