Conceptual and methodological bases for the study of urban river spaces. A case study in Andalusia

This paper aims to highlight the need of working into different scales, spatial and temporal, and the identification of relationships between rivers and heritage at the time of study urban river spaces in order to understand their identity and character. For this purpose, a research of urban-river areas has beendeveloped including two new concepts that had not been studied together until now: analysis in different scales and study of both material and immaterial aspects. Most of the already taken measures in urban river channels have generated intense and rapid transformations that indeed result in the loss of this identity. The problems, weaknesses and specific opportunities are the key to defining common methodological procedures which take into account environmental, cultural, economic and social components. This methodology allows the multidisciplinary analysis of the urban river spaces, in order to analyze them as a guarantee of their own conservation, and also put them in value within its urban scope. Lastly, it must be remarked that the multiple functions fluvial spaces have, make deepening in its knowledge and the processes that have given raise to their loss a need in order to maintain and improve our rivers. Regarding the historical treatment given to the majority of the fluvial spaces in Andalusia, it is necessary to rethink a series of questions for the following years: Is it possible to recover the fluvial spaces that have disappeared? Is the conservation measures currently implemented really working? Etc. These, and other questions, encompass a great variety of discussions regarding fluvial spaces and its preservation, coupled with the model of growth that is aimed at. Thus, it is paramount to recover the essential values that fluvial spaces have had historically in our landscape, patrimony, costumes and ways of living