Large Urban Projects, gentrification and displacement in Buenos Aires, 1991-2010

Abstract

This article aims to provide empirical evidence on the socioterritorial impact of Large Urban Projects (LUPs) regarding possible gentrification and displacement of original low-class inhabitants in their residential environment. The case study is Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, where two flagship LUPs were developed between 1991-2010. A quantitative methodology based on census data is used to create two index to measure gentrification and displacement, both in the specific environment of the two LPUs and the rest of the city. Results show partial evidence of gentrification but no displacement in neither LUP environment. Instead, the displacement intensity may have been strong in other parts of the city, mainly in the north, where there were no LUPs or other forms of urban renewal.