Puerto Madero - Buenos Aires, Argentina

This neighborhood is developed of the conversion of the old dikes and docks that conformed the old port of Buenos Aires, toward a recreational activity, being constituted quickly, for its proximity to the center, in a very tourist place. The big buildings that composed the docks, of bricks, to the English style, they were demolished in a side of the dike and transformed in the side next to the city, being occupied by great quantity of restaurants, cinemas, offices and to an university, of the other side they were built a hotel, housings and also they are transforming other buildings, as deposits of cereals, at the same time that some modern buildings were added in places where before there were not constructions. In the dikes moorings were made for private crafts and   

spaces for some traditional and tourist military ships as the Corvette Uruguay and the Frigate Sarmiento. Although this conversion meant something very positive for the city, since these spaces were abandoned when being used as port the facilities of the New Port, it also had some negative aspects. For example, in spite of being had open a new walk public outdoors, most of the buildings were occupied by private projects generally dedicated to a very limited social class, of good revenues, without being reserved any space for public activities of the city, like it could be a cultural or sport center or a museum. Also, when not existing a marked politics of conservation of the historical patrimony of the city, the destruction of the same one was allowed in some cases.

History: In 1898 the port facilities are built according to the engineer's Madero project that competed with that of the engineer Huergo. Between 1900 and 1905 the docks is added, built by an English company, as storage places. Very little time later this port demonstrates its unpracticity and it is replaced by the New Port, behind of Retiro, with its open basins. In 1989, it commences with the transformation toward their new function.

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