THE CASE OF CAÑADA REAL IN MADRID, SPAIN.

This picture, showing debris of a recent demolition, was taken in Europe's so claimed biggest informal settlement: Cañada Real. The area previously served as a "cañada real" - a royal cattle track - and became increasingly populated throughout the last century's second half. As a result of inner migration waves in 1950's/60's metropolises in Spain likeMadrid, began to be swamped with informal settlements. Cañada Real arose as a growing shelter for families, who couldn't access the formal housing market. It evolved into a small city, consisting of six sectors, which differ considerably in social structure, as well as in characteristics regarding construction material and infrastructure. Whereas some areas boast "common" buildings and purchase electricity and water, other sectors of Cañada Real coincide with UN-Habitat slum characteristics. As a result of the authorities' passivity, Cañada Real accounts today of more than 8.000 inhabitans along aproximately 14 kilometers, trasversing three different municipalities within the Autonomous Community of Madrid. Consequently, finding a proper solution for the different parts of Cañada Real is highly complex. It arises the question of how Cañada Real could be fully integrated into the urban development of the different municipalities? #slumclearance #slumeviction #slumremoval#informality #informalsettlement#informalsettlementsineurope #slum #slumsineurope#chabolismo #urbanplanning #cityexplorations#cañadareal #cañada #madrid #rivasvaciamadrid#coslada #comunidadautonomademadrid #spain🇪🇸#southerneurope #europe