Mapping is a central component in Paisaje Transversal’s work. Each diagnostic they produce relies on a series of maps which visualize geographic and statistical data. These visualizations help them to pinpoint neighborhood vulnerabilities, and socioeconomic and spatial patterns that may emerge throughout a district. I have spent most of my time this summer reading diagnostics on three of Madrid’s districts. Information on the accessibility of public space, mobility and infrastructure, social dynamics and public services, economic activity, and housing are all delivered in map form along with written analyses. At 100 plus pages long, these documents serve as proposals for the City Council to review and roadmaps for future initiatives. To express similar information, Paisaje Transversal communicates with the public via their blog which condenses aspects of each project into a few pages and visual aids. The blog is essential in making their endeavors transparent, and open to suggestions and critique. It was quite fascinating to have access to the blog and more extensive documentation—I especially enjoyed studying Paisaje Transversal’s many detailed maps. Here are a few I would like to share!
Map of Transportation in Arganzuela, Madrid. By Paisaje Transversal. Click below for PDF view.
This map provides an overview of transportation routes in Arganzuela including the metro, commuter trains, busses, areas with high car traffic, freeways, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian pathways. Also included is a legend for calm, low-traffic streets which may be more suitable more walkers and bikers. The way one traverses a city whether by public transport, car, or by bike or by foot can greatly impact how they experience urban life. Besides a few steep streets leading to Centro, Madrid is a walker’s paradise with the perk of excellent metro service—trains arrive every few minutes, are spotless, and do not stop mid route for extended periods of time! It seems that the majority of people living in or near to the center rely on these forms of transportation. The map shows that heavy car-traffic and freeways pass along the periphery of the district, and a few cross through. As one moves more south into Arganzuela and further, cars are more prevalent. In their analyses, Paisaje Transversal concludes that Arganzuela has become a district of freeways, with a streetscape that caters towards car transport. This is especially an issue in newer neighborhoods where people live in “tower in the park” like structures, complete with many parking spots. Cars provide a family-friendly form of transportation in a district where that may be needed, yet also pose the threat of air-pollution, and can make streets less accessible for pedestrians. In response to increasing car-reliance, Paisaje Transversal envisions a plan for more sustainable transportation, prioritizing bike routes and addressing the lack of metro access in some parts of the district.
Map of Economic Activity in Arganzuela, Madrid. By Paisaje Transversal.
In this map, Paisaje Transversal offers a break-down of economic activity in Arganzuela. It presents different types of businesses and differentiates the lucrative non-lucrative ones. This provides a glimpse into the larger socioeconomic context of the district and within that, of each neighborhood. Cultural centers and arts offerings are concentrated at the center along with hotels and hostels. Centrally located businesses seem to be lucrative in comparison to those in other surrounding neighborhoods. Arganzuela is one of Madrid’s wealthier districts overall although gaps in lucrative activity suggests geographical economic disparities.
I was particularly intrigued by the diagnostics of Puente de Vallecas, which is one of Madrid’s most economically, socially, and environmentally vulnerable districts. Puente de Vallecas has the second lowest GDP in Madrid, and its unemployment rate is double the city-wide average. Many residents have had access to insufficient education, according to standards set by the city. Paisaje Transversal has created maps and infographics that reveal overlap between socioeconomic and spatial vulnerabilities. In this diagnostic, the team focused in on two neighborhoods where need is most pressing, San Diego and Numancia. In San Diego, immigrants make up a quarter of the population, which grew exponentially right before Spain’s economic crisis. Numancia´s demographics tell a similar story. For immigrant communities, the challenges of place-making in Madrid have been intensified by the lack of educational and employment opportunities post-crisis. Social inequality is a main concern in Puente de Vallecas. In this project, Paisaje Transversal proposes improvements to communal spaces where community cohesion is lacking as well as creating more dynamic economic opportunities. They also emphasize the need to unite local heritages and support a sense of communal identity in each neighborhood, and across the district as a whole. Paisaje Transversal’s blog posts and the one’s I have written for them this summer elaborate on the district’s vulnerabilities and proposed regenerative strategies.
Of course, I am most intrigued by the phrase “unite local heritages” in relation to Puente de Vallecas. Tell me more! What does this mean? These maps are individually great. What do they tell us when layered upon one another? Also, why are cars more prevalent in Arganzuela? I realize it’s because of highways and tower in the park housing, but I’m interested in when these were built and what the area was like when that happened? Here, of course, highways had their heyday at a time when we celebrated car culture more vociferously. Was that the case in Madrid too? You should definitely look at Arielle’s map too — she’s doing similar work!