Wandel der stadtstruktur in Lateinamerika: sozialräumliche und funktionale ausdifferenzierungen in Santiago de Chile und Lima

Abstract

Latin American cities have changed dramatically since the 1990ies. Under the influence of globalization and the implementation of rigid neo-liberal policies a beginning process of fragmentation of the urban structure in most of the cities throughout the region can be identified. The traditional sectoral-concentric model is being transformed into a cellular pattern. The resulting new urban landscapes become an assembly of socio-spatial and functional-economic cells such as shopping-malls, gated communities or new CBDs. Nevertheless, the process often shows regional differentiations how the examples of Santiago de Chile and Lima show. In Chile a stable economic development has led to a considerable improvement of the overall quality of life. The urban landscape of Santiago de Chile begins to resemble the North American city. The Peruvian economy has been hit much worse by economic recession and shows a much higher degree of so-cioeconomic inequality. A weak national and local state coincides with a high degree of informality. In Lima this results in the formation of a collage of rather ambiguous spaces