Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires - 1986 vs 2005 !!!!!

[mzn]

This is the recently transformed district of Puerto Madero, in Buenos Aires. In this renewed space and social scene, Porteños have found yet another excuse to celebrate life and meet with friends in the innumerable restaurants, cafes and discos that populate this fantastic sector by the river.

Prior to its official inauguration in September of 1998, this section of the port had fallen into disrepair. Today, luxurious restaurants, offices and movie theaters have replaced the ancient brick silos, making this the city's most exclusive district, preferred by tourists and business travelers. All the streets of Puerto Madero carry the names of women. The Boulevard Azucena Villaflor directly connects the city to the river.

Every Saturday and Sunday, another street, Calle Vera Peñaloza becomes a pedestrian-only zone, where the public can skate, ride bicycles or stroll. Nearby one will find the Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, a natural oasis in the heart of the concrete jungle.


1986:



2004:

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[mzn]

some more pictures

[DarkLite]

IMO-many things were in horrible condition in cities in the 80's, I wasnt even born in the 80's (i was born in 91) just by looking at pictures u can see what i mean, this picture is an example, I am glad how BA looks today!!

[Anymodal]

you gotta be kidding. tokyo in the 80's was THE place to be. booming decade for the city.

[DarkLite]

well for Central American cities at least, they were in war, destroyed by earthquakes and damaged by guerilla warfare

[mzn]

we had just come out from a dictatorship, so we also were destroyed

[Küsel]

Wow, that's impressive!!!

And thanks - now I have the prove that one of our local tv commercials have been filmed in BA I always thought so but was not sure... normally a lot of Swiss and German commercials are filmed in Sao Paulo nowadays but I thought: this one is not possible, must be BA - YEAH!!

[rogeliolucatero]

Thats in Buenos Aires?!? Hard to believe its anywhere in South America. BA is catching up....good news.
But that river? Sick, looks like the Thames.

[Küsel]

What do you mean with "catching up"? I think you should check once the photoforumthreads of Sao Paulo, Santiago or Curitiba, a lot of LA cities are very compareable with NA ones nowadays (LA is not just a bunch of developping countries (anymore), but the regional disparities are sometimes still enormous) and it's a huge playground for architecs.

[mzn]

Well, that river is not sick.. it's just brown, the natural colour of the water because of the sediments.. it doesn't stink at all.. and yeah, BA is right up there

[elliott]

The city looks very british on its skyline mins the new scrapers if you know what i mean. Ive saw many BA threads and i think its a mix between NY, London and Paris.

[mzn]

Puerto Madero is a familiar story for all you Urban Planning folks out there - a former industrial site (in this case a Naval Base) uses it´s advantage (waterfront access, central location) and tries to reinvent itself as the cool (and very expensive) part of town. The result is usually an interesting contrast of the old and the new.
In addition, the folks here rechristened the old landfill there as an ¨ecological reserve.¨

Puerto Madero is where the extrañjeros (foreigners) go to eat, live, and play. The best evidence of this is the Real Estate signs in English. Recently built or under constructionhigh rises dot the landscape along with the old Industrial buildings. And not only is there a Sushi Restaraunt, a building that looks inspired (if not designed) by Frank Gehry (in this case the club Opera Bay, which is the big Extrañjero ¨Boleto¨ or dance club) completes the makeover.








Look, some old pictures.. before the transformation

[furrycanuck]

I spent a month in Buenos Aires (Feb-Mar 2004) and can say that it was one of the best months of my life. But I found Puerto Madero one of the least interesting parts of the city. We rented an apartment in Barrio Norte for a pittance ($470/mo US for a little "penthouse" at Beruti and Laprida) and NO WAY would I choose any place in the Centro or that boring, overplanned Puerto Madero.