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Landscape design in Argentina has ceased to be a merely decorative element to become a key tool for urban planning, both at local and national levels. In a country marked by diverse geography and profound territorial inequalities, the current challenge is to integrate Argentine identity into landscape design while addressing critical issues such as urban densification, lack of green spaces, and environmental degradation.

Over the past few decades, landscape design in Argentina has undergone a significant transformation, reflecting the social, economic, and environmental changes in the country. From the historical parks of Buenos Aires to contemporary interventions in peri-urban areas, the discipline has adapted to tackle key challenges:

Urban Planning: From Local to National and the Search for Local Identity

With the unplanned growth of cities and population concentration in metropolitan areas, a critical tension arises: How can equitable access to green spaces be ensured in the context of accelerated urban expansion? According to the WHO, every inhabitant should have at least 10 m² of non-fragmented green space; many Argentine cities fail to meet this standard, especially when analyzing vulnerable neighborhoods.

Argentina needs a comprehensive strategic vision that articulates public policies among municipalities, provinces, and the nation. While large cities face overcrowding and the privatization of public space, many regions suffer from depopulation and abandonment. Landscape design must be integrated into inclusive territorial planning policies, to become part of:

• Urban master plans that prioritize interconnected green space systems (e.g., metropolitan biological corridors).
• Legal instruments that require minimum percentages of green areas in real estate developments.
• Urban regeneration projects in intermediate cities to redistribute the population and relieve pressure on megacities.

An example could be the Territorial Organization Plan of Mendoza, which integrates the arid landscape and viticulture into its urban matrix, while the Caballito Linear Park (CABA) redeems railway land for public use, with the caveat that a very small proportion remains for truly public use, other than pedestrian transit (sidewalks).

Argentine Identity in the Landscape: Beyond “European Green”

Argentina hosts unique ecosystems, from subtropical rainforest to Patagonian steppes, many of which are threatened by urban expansion, intensive agriculture, and deforestation.

Ecological restoration projects, such as wetland recovery (Delta del Paraná, Laguna de Rocha) or the re-naturalization of urban riverbanks (Río Matanza-Riachuelo), demonstrate that landscape design can be a key tool for minimizing and reversing environmental damage, contributing to the mitigation of direct effects associated with climate change.

Socioeconomic Challenges: The Landscape as a Social Equalizer and Expression of Collective Rights

The lack of planning has exacerbated urban fragmentation. Access to green spaces cannot be a privilege:

The inequality in access to green areas reflects socioeconomic gaps. While some districts boast large parks and urban trees, others suffer the effects of heat islands and lack of green infrastructure.

Green Space per Inhabitant: An Outstanding Debt

According to recent data, large Argentine cities do not meet the minimum m² per inhabitant for recreational use. The WHO recommends at least 10 m² per person, but 70% of Argentine cities fall below this figure.

Towards the Near Future: Guidelines for Intervention from Micro to Macro level

The approach to formulating solutions to spatial problems must align with the challenges posed by the spaces: It is imperative to address planning from a preliminary study framework that provides the necessary information to evaluate different solutions in pursuit of excellence in resolution.

Does your city meet the m² of green space per inhabitant? What creative solution would you propose to improve it?

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