How to solve the problems of rapid growth in cities?

Santa Cruz de la Sierra, the most important city in Bolivia, with a population density of more than 1.7 million inhabitants (according to INE projections), is facing a population explosion that poses challenges in urban planning and territorial ordering, such as effective, comprehensive urban management and inter-institutional participation.

Despite having initial planning, rapid demographic growth, added to the migration of thousands of people, overwhelms the infrastructures and services of the eastern capital. As a result of this excessive growth, road congestion, housing deficit and shortage of green areas are generated.

The director of the Architecture course at the Franz Tamayo University, Unifranz, Gabriel García, assures that disorderly urban sprawl and irregular land occupation have emerged as a response to the growing demand for housing.

“More effective urban management is required, with comprehensive planning, citizen participation and inter-institutional coordination to face the challenges of a constantly growing city”, says the expert.

The lack of planning affects “the balanced urban development and the improvement in the quality of life of the inhabitants of the city”, adds García.

Absence of urban planning policies

The main cities of the country do not assume their true role regarding the definition of urban public policies in their Territorial Plans for Comprehensive Development, (PTDI) and neither do they generate mechanisms no laws that allow an orderly growth of the municipalities.

Álvaro Viaña is an architect and former Municipal Secretary of Planning for Development of the municipality of La Paz. For the specialist, the absence of continuity of public policies in municipal administrations transfers responsibility for planning to private. These, under the pretext of “real estate developments”, arbitrarily define how cities should grow.

“Unfortunately, in no case do real estate agents consider the impact of these new developments on the immediate environment and even less on their relationship with the city, what prevails is always economic interest,” Viaña points out.

The lack of attention from municipalities in various aspects (such as citizen security), causes these “developers” to develop urban projects under the closed condominium model. In this way, they partially solve these needs and give a sense of security to the interior, but turning their backs on the city that surrounds them.

For Viaña, in the case of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, it is necessary to review whether the extended city model, as it is currently presented, is the most appropriate.

Currently, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, like La Paz and Cochabamba, presents border conflicts with its urban sprawl. The limits with neighboring municipalities are diluted and cause problems in the provision of services and regulation.

Santa Cruz de la Sierra is a sprawling, low-density city. Today the urban sprawl could easily house a city with four million inhabitants with good quality of life conditions. Therefore, it is urgent and necessary to study the current growth model and refocus the regulations that allows, in certain sectors, a greater population density.

​Urban planning for cities

The disorderly growth of cities is explained by the absence of a clear and well-known urban plan. Urban planning establishes the long-term vision for the city. An adequate design will outline the objectives and strategies that guide its growth in an orderly and balanced manner. It involves anticipating and making informed decisions about growth and the organization of urban spaces.

Planning the development of a city requires considering various factors such as demography, infrastructure, land use, the environment, the economy and social equity, according to Christian Alvarado Ojeda, professor of Architecture at Unifranz.

Appropriate urban planning optimizes land use, guarantees the availability of basic services, fosters connectivity, preserves cultural and natural heritage, and promotes social cohesion.

The ideal of a planned city establishes a territorial ordering that guarantees a balanced and efficient distribution of urban land. It implies the development of adequate infrastructure, such as drinking water systems, sewerage, electricity, public transport and well-connected roads.

Furthermore, a planned city must have enough public spaces and green areas accessible to all citizens, promoting quality of life and social coexistence.

Álvaro Viaña points out that, in this area, the professionals in charge of urban planning must adequately manage the constructions in cities. This work goes through the identification of the vocations of each zone or sector to generate public policies that tend to solve the basic needs of its citizens. With these guidelines, the appropriate conditions are established to develop the main activities of living, working, studying and having fun.

Every urban planning approach must be periodically reviewed and, in many cases, reoriented. Planning is not an exact science and is subject to innumerable external factors that require your specific support