Sprawl and Density, Towards a Dispersed Urban form The Case of Córdoba City - Argentina

Numerous studies confirm as a feature of the current development model, the evolution of land use patterns towards a dispersed form and the decline of gross densities associated to the process of sprawl that occur in several countries. The paper presents the evolution of urban growth in Córdoba city in Argentina during the period 1991-2010 coinciding with three national censuses. It provides data of gross density, the urban land incorporated and the relationship with other social indicators to explain the evolution of the urban form in the last two decades. Based on the results obtained in the research the article critically debates the current normative instruments applied to regulate sprawl, its limits, constraints and effectiveness to avoid a dispersed land-use pattern. Taking in account the transformations produced in recent decades (in social and spatial fields), it is clear that urban sprawl far from stopping acquires a metropolitan scale. Finally, the conclusion mentions the need for new approaches in physical planning to address the problems arising from the evolution of ongoing processes. The formulation of growth strategies to attenuate dispersion is necessary to develop a sustainable urban form.