Abstract
If you stand on the edge of a river you are likely to see the otherside. From a narrow stream in the countryside to broad urban bodies of water, one of the conditions of rivers in Europe is the relative narrowness and ease to cross. Other rivers, such as Rio de la Plata are very far from this condition, with a width of 48 km at the merging of delta del Paraná and 219 km where it meets the sea. This condition had a great significance in the way Buenos Aires was perceived and the way it developed
historically. A boundless flat land confronted with a boundless flat river is a very particular condition that invites each person to frame their own view. The riverfront is therefore the fringe and horizon of the city. As a horizon it is the link with others, with the outside, with faraway lands, and for some
even the reminder of home. These areas, in their harbor condition, are the fringe of the city; they are working areas, contested spaces, open for speculation and social conflict. In this paper I intend to explore a series of different perceptions of the river from the land and the land from the river as the riverfront evolved from a fortified defense system through to the combination of a commercial harbor, airport and populated public spaces. For this purpose I will investigate the writings of travelers, urban designers and policy makers who were instrumental in
the transformation of the riverfront.
historically. A boundless flat land confronted with a boundless flat river is a very particular condition that invites each person to frame their own view. The riverfront is therefore the fringe and horizon of the city. As a horizon it is the link with others, with the outside, with faraway lands, and for some
even the reminder of home. These areas, in their harbor condition, are the fringe of the city; they are working areas, contested spaces, open for speculation and social conflict. In this paper I intend to explore a series of different perceptions of the river from the land and the land from the river as the riverfront evolved from a fortified defense system through to the combination of a commercial harbor, airport and populated public spaces. For this purpose I will investigate the writings of travelers, urban designers and policy makers who were instrumental in
the transformation of the riverfront.
Original language | English |
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Publication status | Unpublished - Jun 2014 |
Event | Riverine Conference - Kent, United Kingdom Duration: 26 Jun 2014 → 28 Jun 2014 |
Conference
Conference | Riverine Conference |
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Country/Territory | United Kingdom |
City | Kent |
Period | 26/06/2014 → 28/06/2014 |