Growth and transformation of Caracas metropolis between 1936 and 2010: the dissolution of the urban centrality in three times

Abstract

The dissolution of the unique urban centrality in Caracas is a direct result of the recent growth and urban transformation processes, characterized by fragmentation, superimposition and mix of their spaces both new and legacy. To understand the complexity of the resulting urban settings are presented three times from an approach in which prevails the explanation of the form from a functional, social and economic stratum without neglecting a political background that determines the models of urban management. These are: a first time (1936-1982) which we call “city within city” referred to the legacy of modernity; a second time (1983-1999) “city on city” that sums up the “post-modern” period and a third time (2000-2010) giving account of the socialization process enabled on the territory and which we describe as “city with society.” It is logical to promote decentralization with effects on the urban structure, accentuating the local and the social.