Between short vacations and residential space. Roads and urban fabric on the river edge in the north of Buenos Aires (1900-1950)

Abstract

In this work we propose to analyze historically the material and symbolic construction of the north bank in the Buenos Aires´s suburban area (the coastal route that goes from the town of Vicente López to Tigre) from the intersection between mobility infrastructures, urban/suburban fabrics and sociability practices and their representations associated with this territory. During the first half of the 20th century this territory oscillated between "flash tourism" and residential space.  The turn of the century elite shaped social images and identity that was perpetuated beyond the transformations operated during the period covered. Based on the use of a varied corpus of historical sources, the main purpose was to build a view where these three dimensions allow us to recognize and give new meaning to certain infrastructure projects and works in relation to the incorporation of new fabrics (recreational and residential areas) in a territory that from late XIX century was connected with the Federal Capital.