Coastal waterfront and urban development in Spanish medium-sized cities: insights from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain)

Abstract

Urban waterfront development has undergone significant transformations throughout history, driven by shifting economic imperatives, social dynamics, and environmental considerations. Once primarily functional spaces, waterfronts have emerged as focal points of urban regeneration. While extensive scholarship has examined the redevelopment of major metropolitan waterfronts - often framed within the broader transition from Fordist industrial economies to post-Fordist urban models emphasizing sustainability and integrated design -, medium-sized cities have also experienced substantial transformations. Framed within a global context, the analysis concentrates on medium-sized Spanish cities to ensure comparability and to highlight specific developmental dynamics often overlooked in global waterfront studies. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria exemplifies this trend, where efforts reconfiguring its waterfront have faced notable constraints, yielding only partial implementation. By tracing the worldwide evolution of urban waterfronts and comparing them with similar medium-sized island contexts, this study contributes to a broader understanding of integrated waterfront planning across the global urban hierarchy.