El Palomar, Argentina
El Palomar is a city in Greater Buenos Aires in Argentina, at approximate coordinates 34°32′30″S 58°36′55″W / 34.54167°S 58.61528°W.
The city has the peculiarity of being divided between the partidos of Tres de Febrero and Morón. Of its 74,751 inhabitants (2001 census [INDEC]), 57,146 live within Morón jurisdiction and 17,605 live in Tres de Febrero.
Ciudad Jardín, Lomas del Palomar
Within El Palomar is located Ciudad Jardín, Lomas del Palomar, an unusual, colorful, socially mixed and lively neighbourhood of about 6,650 families in an area of 2.4 km². Inspired by the Garden city movement, its layout is designed on a pedestrian scale with compact residential areas made up of tile roofed row style and free standing chalets in tree-lined streets and boulevards. There are three arcaded three-storey residential-commercial plazas (town squares) with central greenery, children playgrounds, fountains and surrounded by shops, pubs and al-fresco dining restaurants. The layout was developed to place cultural facilities, schools, churches, clubs and parks, mixed and within walking distance of housing areas. It is served by two railway lines, the Ferrocarril General San Martín and Ferrocarril General Urquiza, which provide easy access to the Capital about 20 kilometres away.
The influential Argentinian professor of engineering, Carlos Maria della Paolera, founder of “Día Mundial del Urbanismo” (World Urbanism Day), has praised Ciudad Jardín as the first Garden City in South America. Inaugurated in 1944, Ciudad Jardín was conceived by Doctor Erich Zeyen[1], a German emigrant who arrived in 1929 with the idea of creating a Garden City that offerd a balance of urban life with green spaces, a city within a city. It has been recognized and mentioned in publications on urban planning on a world-wide level [2] .
Ciudad Jardín is a community that has endured the passage of time and modernism gracefully. However, at present, citizens are debating whether a highway with direct links to an expressway should be built. There is a general concern that the proposal would ruin the community's character and put it in jeopardy. It is argued that a much better approach would be to improve the run down commuter rail line that runs parallel to the proposed highway.
Rock'n Roll City
Ciudad Jardín has produced national and internationally-known celebrities, and is well-known locally as a cradle of important musicians of jazz and rock music groups. Gustavo Santaolalla, Javier and Walter Mallosetti (jazz), Ricardo Pellican, Los Piojos, MAM, Divididos, Arcoiris (Gustavo Santaolalla's band), Los Caballeros de la Quema (some of its ex members) and Sumo's début amongst others, have all lived or participated in the community.
References
- ^ "Tributo al Dr. Erich Zeyen". www.guiapalomar.com. Retrieved 2008-10-01. Template:Es icon
- ^ The Emergence of Modern Town Planning in Latin America – after a Historiographic Review – Arturo Almandoz: [1]
See also
- Béccar, San Isidro
- World Urbanism Day
- Urbanism
- Garden city movement
- Gartenstadt (in the German speaking Wikipedia)