This work by José María Marinas offers a critical reflection on the transformations that define the contemporary city, focusing on the interplay between urban form, social dynamics, and cultural narratives. It frames the city as both a physical construct and a symbolic space, shaped by historical memory, political forces, and the flows of capital, information, and people. Marinas examines how processes of globalisation, technological innovation, and neoliberal governance influence urban morphology, often producing spatial fragmentation, socio-economic polarisation, and shifts in public space usage. The analysis emphasises the duality of the city as a site of opportunity and exclusion, where practices of everyday life negotiate and sometimes resist the logics imposed by market-driven planning. Attention is given to the reconfiguration of centralities, the transformation of peripheries, and the emergence of new cultural centralities tied to consumption and spectacle. The text also interrogates the role of architecture and urban design in mediating between individual experience and collective identity, suggesting that aesthetic interventions can either reinforce or challenge existing power structures. Through a multidisciplinary approach that draws on philosophy, sociology, and urban studies, Marinas positions the contemporary city as a space of tensions—between memory and innovation, permanence and change, inclusion and marginalisation. Ultimately, the work calls for reimagining the city as a more democratic and equitable arena, where urban policy and design actively contribute to social cohesion, cultural vitality, and environmental sustainability.
