Naming and regulating: tensions between urban planning and production of nature

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22320/07183607.2026.29.53.09

Keywords:

urban planning, urban nature, planning instruments, urban discourses

Abstract

Urban planning instruments produce nature through zoning, creating tensions in how these spaces are named and regulated. This study aims to identify and compare the modes of production of nature in Concepción’s Metropolitan Area by analyzing the planning instruments in different socio-historical periods. For this analysis, a mixed-methods approach that combined critical discourse analysis, document review, and semi-structured interviews was used. The results show that nature is subordinated to socio-economic functions, despite the increased emphasis on environmental semantics in planning instruments. This demonstrates the need to make technical language more transparent and to recognize nature's multiple meanings for its effective integration into city planning.

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Author Biographies

  • Claudia Cerda-Inostroza, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile

    Master’s Degree in Sustainable Urban Processes
    Ph.D. student in Territorial Studies of the Global South. Program director at the School of Architecture, Urban Planning, and Geography and researcher at the Group for Intercultural Urban and Territorial Studies (GRIUT)

  • Francisco De-la-Barrera-Melgarejo , University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile

    Ph.D. in Geography, Regional Planning, and Environmental Management
    Professor and researcher at the School of Environmental Sciences. Center for Environmental Sciences (EULA-Chile) and Center for Sustainable Urban Development (CEDEUS)

  • Mauro Fontana-Flores, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile

    Ph.D. in Architecture and Urban Studies
    Director of the Department of Urban Planning, School of Architecture, Urban Planning, and Geography. Group for Intercultural Urban and Territorial Studies (GRIUT)

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Published

2026-05-30

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Artículos

How to Cite

Cerda-Inostroza, C., De-la-Barrera-Melgarejo , F., & Fontana-Flores, M. (2026). Naming and regulating: tensions between urban planning and production of nature. Urbano, 29(53), 106-119. https://doi.org/10.22320/07183607.2026.29.53.09