Rosana Ferraro

Evolution of Habitability Conditions in Mar del Plata Peri-urban Area (1991, 2001, 2011)

Quality of life as a goal of well-being depends on the prevailing ethos of a society, which varies according to its expectations. The concept of “habitability,” referring to the social sphere of sustainability within the sustainable urban development paradigm, is associated with that of quality of life. This paper aims to analyze comparatively the habitability conditions in Mar del Plata’s peri-urban area (Argentina Republic) in 1991, 2001, and 2011. A synthetic indicator that assesses Habitability Conditions Index (HCI) in those years was developed based on previous studies, the selection of objective indicators, and the Omega Score Technique. Then, the distribution of the results obtained was analyzed (spatial autocorrelation). The best conditions were achieved in 2011, mainly because of the extension of basic sanitation services. The areas with the highest values (HCI: 0.58–0.70) were Sierra de los Padres and areas near Mar del Plata common land. The methodological procedure used gives particular importance to the study of habitability conditions and of socio-territorial differences in Mar del Plata peri-urban, which have intensified over the years under consideration. Furthermore, the procedure enabled us to detect contrasts within the peri-urban, to predict the behavior of the chosen variables and to synthesize its spatial distribution in each spatial unit, proving extremely useful in the management of critical areas.