(Re)generative practices in the public spaces of Latin American cities: from top-down to (micro)bottom-up urbanism

Abstract

As initiatives promoting experimental, transitional, and regenerative actions in the production of public space continue to expand, so too does the commodification of cities, the homogenization of urban culture, and the enforcement of segregation policies. In Latin America, these phenomena intertwine with structural conflicts, manifested in the prevalence of subsistence activities, begging, and crime in public spaces. Using a methodology based on document analysis, case review, and direct observation, this study presents a classification and analysis of various mechanisms for the production and activation of public spaces. These mechanisms include service infrastructures, self-organized practices, and eco-technological integrations. Through case analysis, the operative cores of the studied practices are identified, along with their key components and attributes. All of this aims to explore alternatives for a regenerative urbanism in which the production of public spaces is both viable within a global planetary context and grounded in Latin American territorial identity.