Intermunicipal border areas, a space for integration or disintegration? The case of Santiago de Chile

Abstract

A mix of different districts shapes the city of Santiago. By reading Kevin Lynch’s concepts of ‘edge’ and ‘district’ from The image of the city (1960), the district administrative boundaries of Santiago are studied to identify their main characteristics and understand how the urban shape is related to the social processes as a metropolis. A mixture of methods is applied by combining quantitative analysis of the socioeconomic characteristics of these edges with the inhabitants´ perceptions about these district boundaries. The results of crossing this information show it is possible to identify different situations from rigid, precise, and raised edges; to soft, irregular, and low limits; and how they can explain phenomena of urban fragmentation, territorial inequity, and social exclusion. Therefore, it is concluded that from these district edges, it is possible to assess how these areas can contribute or not to achieving more integrated and equitable cities.