VALDEZ, DANIELLE E01C

“Urban Processes and the Human Scale” written analysis:

Modern urban landscapes are comprised of infrastructure to accommodate automobile ownership at the expense of shared public space. Rueda’s Superilla design framework emphasizes the reduction of automobile traffic in order to centralize and diversify community engagement. Focused attention surrounding transit and pedestrian infrastructures and mixed use blocks increases accessibility while encouraging neighborhood cohesion and a thriving local economy.

Rueda mentions thoughtful land use as one of the primary urban qualities that must be present in order to increase social interaction. Indicators of diversity in land use can be measured through a vast spectrum of social spaces, services and affordable housing. Air, water, light, and heat are all pertinent natural phenomena as they correlate to the overall health and well-being of the community.

The urban fabric of the Gothic Quarter is far removed from that of the Superilla. Community spaces are unintentional and rare in the Gothic Quarter where the density of housing, narrow passages, and lack of infrastructure mitigates public health and sanitation. As a result, the neighborhood is rather isolated from the whole of the city due to low transit accessibility.