Sistemas urbanos de frontera en contexto de permeabilidad. Roles, prácticas espaciales transfronterizas y cambio urbano en casos del área metropolitana de Basilea

Abstract

Los sistemas urbanos que convergen en el frente norte de Basilea (Weil am Rhein, Saint-Louis y Huningue) comparten con aquella y entre sí relativa continuidad espacial y dinámicas funcionales, a pesar de pertenecer a países distintos. La tendencia hacia una mayor permeabilidad fronteriza derivada de su contexto posibilita nuevas formas de cooperación entre estas áreas vecinas, que adquieren nuevos roles como soporte y como escenario clave en la activación de operaciones que encuentran continuidad a uno y otro lado de la frontera.El presente trabajo profundiza en esta cuestión a través del estudio de casos en las ciudades mencionadas. Tras una introducción que permite exponer la singularidad y el papel del sistema urbano de frontera en un marco de creciente permeabilidad, y presentar el contexto del área objeto de análisis, se evalúan prácticas espaciales transfronterizas en el periodo 1985-2010, haciendo especial hincapié en el caso de Basilea. El estudio permite atisbar la capacidad de esta última para construir estrategias que posibilitan armonizar procesos transfronterizos y proyectos locales, a la par que ratifica la importancia de las ciudades, en tanto que ámbitos de relación, para impulsar la imbricación espacial entre áreas vecinas separadas por fronteras.AbstractThe urban systems that converge in the northern border of Basel (Weil am Rhein, Saint-Louis and Huningue) share certain spatial continuity and functional dynamics with the former, despite being located in different countries. The tendency towards an increasing border permeability derived from their context is opening new possibilities for cooperation among these areas, which acquire new roles as a basis and as a key arena for operations that find continuity across the border. Our research delves into these issues through the analysis of specific cases in the above-mentioned areas. It starts with an introduction where both the singularity and the functions of border urban systems in a background of growing permeability are exposed, and where the context of the case under analysis is defined. Then, cross-border spatial practices in the period 1985-2010 are studied. Particular emphasis is placed on the case of Basel. The study reveals the capacity of this latter to build strategies that make it possible to harmonize cross-border processes and local projects. It also confirms the importance of urban systems, as areas of relationship, to promote spatial imbrication between neighbouring areas.

Connective infrastructures as transnational articulators Trans-scalar Analysis of three European Union borders

“…In the 1990s, with the ETC, a series of infrastructure projects for the integration of transnational urban dynamics were promoted; one of these programs was called the Trinational Agglomeration of Basel 16 (TAB), in 2001. This project gave rise to the concept of "Common Development in the Integrating Areas" 17 , which identifies relevant and priority projects for the three integrated urban systems, promoting the TAB 18 .…”

Cross-border cooperation and urban change in the Trinational Agglomeration Basel

“…Local networks sustain other urban content while creating new relationships among elements of the system, introducing additional difficulties for variation. Therefore, the availability of resources and the interrelation among planning instruments at different scales are central for the transformation in these cases, as reflected by "Nordtangente" (Fernández, 2017(Fernández, , 2018. Cross-border cooperation instruments and structures have a particular responsibility in this respectregardless of whether or not their determinations are bindingfor their capacity to bring agents together and to foster joint discussion and decision-making processes.…”

“…In addition, other difficulties exist: cross-border cooperation structures commonly define non-binding projects and strategies; frameworks such as the TAB andsubsequent -TEB have only recently begun to give rise to new cross-border spatial practices, and economic practices that base their interest on the exploitation of differentials persist, leading to a double process of mitigation and emergence of barriers (Fernández, 2018).…”