The university into the city, urban form and structure. The case of the University of Lleida

Abstract

More than an institution located in the city, today's university forms a constituent part of a city's structure, shape and dynamics. This article studies the spatial relationships that are established between the Spanish city and its university. It does this by making a historical analysis of the process through which a university becomes established in a city and then goes on to examine the specific weight of the university in the configuration of the city's urban structure. After a general analysis, the article focuses on the case study of the University of Lleida. It examines the role of local agents in the process of consolidating the university, studies the introduction of its different seats, and looks at the coherence of the decisions that are taken and how the city model is gradually consolidated. The final result has been an implantation that is spread across the urban centre and which has been the result of a long historical process full of provisional solutions and fortuitous circumstances, many of which have provided tremendous opportunities for both the university and the city.