Royal garden design performed to favour housing and social development in El Pardo, a protected environment in Madrid

Abstract

El Pardo was named Royal Site, in the reign of Fernando VI. His successor Carlos III proceeded to incorporate to its Heritage its hills and woods. It started then a new urban process and architectural building completed in 1802. After the Spanish Civil War in 1939, General Francisco Franco placed his residence in the Royal Palace of El Pardo. This village began processing and performing its urban and architectural context into an unrecognizable landscape. Diego Méndez, the architect Head of project, concealed a New Urban Development Plan promoted by General Francisco Franco. In order of Royal Gardening design there were two transformations which broke the original design to optimize the housing development or new public spaces. The first is about the Royal Palace Garden and the second one is about the Prince House Garden. This study aims to critically examine the social forces that shape and transform the two main Royal Gardens in this Royal Site in Madrid, Spain. Madrid is chosen as the study case, as part of a funded project entitled “Proximity Landscapes of the city of Madrid. From the 19th Century to the present”, (Cod. HAR2014-57843-R).