Expansión urbana y segregación espacial: Caso Challuabamba – Cuenca en la última década

Abstract

Cuenca is one of the most important cities in Ecuador, both in population size and its contribution to the country's economy, considered an intermediate city, it is in constant change structurally, economically, culturally and socially, but for some years it has become evident that the city faces a prolonged urban expansion that has been accentuated in the peripheries of the urban center and in the head of the rural parishes. This has led to certain social phenomena such as gentrification and segregation, which has affected native residents of rural areas and people with much lower incomes. In this way, this has led to cultural, social and economic transformations as a result of new influences and much more modern and "urban" lifestyles. One of these clear examples is the Challuabamba area, a sector located on the outskirts of the urban area, but which presents great urban growth where large gated communities, shopping centers and large farms are visible; Where before this was an agricultural area where the homes could be counted on the finger and now it is a completely different sector and where the native residents who still reside have seen, lived and felt this phenomenon firsthand. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the causes of segregation resulting from urban expansion, taking into account the perceptions and experiences of the residents in the last decade. The research will apply a mixed methodology based on semi-structured interviews and surveys, as this will allow for a better understanding of the phenomenon.