From Nueva Sangüesa to Ayegui: The continuity of a classical city model

Abstract

In the 21st century, the classical city is no longer the model for most urban settlements. Nevertheless, because of the didactic clarity of its elements, its geometrical regularity, and the precision of its boundaries, it remains a model of great interest for new urban developments. From the principles laid down by Vitruvis for the founding of cities to the Laws of the Indies and on to the New Towns of the Enlightenment, the compact, orderly city has presented itself as an efficient system for planning cities, especially in the Spanish American sphere. The principles upon which this kind of city is built were applied exemplarily in small towns like Nueva Sangüesa, by Santos Ángel de Ochandategui (1788), but also more recently in new cities like Ayegui, designed in 1980, modeled after the latter by Iñiguez y Ustarroz. An analysis of the urban form and composition of these two projects – so close together in space but separated in time –demonstrates the continued validity of the classical city, in what is not only a tribute to the historical heritage of the city, but also an upholding of the model as something applicable to the contemporary city.