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Generally, they are more like Europe. But different too. Latin American cities often have PLAZAS which are popular places to go, much like a park, but more central located.
The biggest difference I've noticed with most Latin American cities is that the wealth is generally in the center, and the poor areas are much further out of the city, and the more into the hills it gets, the more poverty, as they have to walk up or down the hills to get into things.
It's the opposite of the U.S. where people have great infrastructure up into hills, and more money, and people with money do everything they can to get out of the cities in the u.s. So money goes outward and upward in the U.S.
In Latin American cities, the wealth wants to be where everything is at. But they'll have security in other ways. In general though, Latin American cities are generally way more walkable than American cities - except for a few Mexican cities near the border, who've taken on more American concepts of spread out urban planning.
The biggest difference I've noticed with most Latin American cities is that the wealth is generally in the center, and the poor areas are much further out of the city, and the more into the hills it gets, the more poverty, as they have to walk up or down the hills to get into things.
It's the opposite of the U.S. where people have great infrastructure up into hills, and more money, and people with money do everything they can to get out of the cities in the u.s. So money goes outward and upward in the U.S.
Isn't that particularly because the infrastructure on the outskirts isn't very good? A lot of times they get informal (shantytowns) settlements on the edges without much services.
Don't think Latin American cities are much like American ones, but they share certain "new world" charecteristics with some of the same contrasts between urban North America and Europe. Looking at Mexico City compared to Madrid, even though Mexico City is known as a high density city, its densest parts don't quite reach the densities found in the central areas of Madrid, and perhaps other southern European cities. Streets are wider, often with more of a setback, giving an impression of more space. Southern European cities often are lined with a wall of buildings at about the same height (usually 4-5 stories), Mexico City is less consistent. Here's a street in Madrid:
Don't think Latin American cities are much like American ones, but they share certain "new world" charecteristics with some of the same contrasts between urban North America and Europe. Looking at Mexico City compared to Madrid, even though Mexico City is known as a high density city, its densest parts don't quite reach the densities found in the central areas of Madrid, and perhaps other southern European cities. Streets are wider, often with more of a setback, giving an impression of more space. Southern European cities often are lined with a wall of buildings at about the same height (usually 4-5 stories), Mexico City is less consistent. Here's a street in Madrid:
We don't have something like that in Europe afaik. Maybe half a dozen cities have a few skyscrapers, but despite their higher height, São Paulo is much more massive due to the mere number of high-rise buildings. Apartment towers to the horizon, crazy: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k-6Wfr1b1o...+in+Brazil.jpg
Many Latin American cities are like a hybrid of the two.
As in Europe:
They often have a dense center, where very wealthy people live, and most people work. There are lots of big businesses, banking corporations, government offices, cultural sites, cathedrals, high-end shopping, parks, restaurants, book stores, large boulevards. These centers are very pedestrian friendly, and mass transit is usually decent--especially subways.
As in the US:
They are often car oriented because they tend to be very large in area; thus the wealthy and middle class usually have cars. The city centers usually have sky-scrapers in abundance. Poor people tend to live on the periphery of the city center, or close to the center in occasional, small slum neighborhoods that receive poor services. The poor areas tend to have lots of class resentment and high crime. There are affluent suburbs for the wealthy and middle class who prefer to have more space, safety, and quiet. The suburbs are impractical and there is not much in the way of culture in them. People who live in those areas must travel to the center for work, and cultural activities like museums, theaters, etc.
Good examples of such cities are Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Rio, Bogota, Caracas.
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