The dynamics of urban fabric expansion in Picos – PI

Abstract

Urban voids and undeveloped lots are integral to the territorial expansion process of contemporary cities. The underlying logic of such dynamics is linked to the construction of the city through an economic lens, as a commodity-product with different implications for citizens, economic agents, and local government. This article aims to analyse the expansion of urban fabric in Picos, and its consequences on two elements of urban morphology: urban voids and undeveloped lots. Satellite images from the period 1985 to 2022 were used to create the maps. It is concluded that urban land being treated as a reserve assets results in the production of a dispersed city, where urban voids are a structuring part of the logic of the commercialization of local urban space.