by Ellen Fields, University of Oregon
Upon arrival in Oviedo, all I could see were tall buildings, bustling streets, snobby older women in a cloud of cigarette smoke, history in statues and plazas, but most prominently, I saw the differences between Oviedo and my hometown of Coos Bay, Oregon. There are many mixed-use buildings in which the citizens of Oviedo live, work, eat, shop, and enjoy life in their own neighborhoods. The grocery stores are small but based on local goods. The cafes and restaurants encourage friendly visits and a get-to-know-you at
titude with neighbors. Many ovetenses are from an older generation and desire a life of ease including short and easy travel times. If one wanted to, one could fulfill all necessities and live an entire life in just one part of the city. In my own neighborhood I see a variety of businesses and tall apartment buildings that are home to hundreds of people. Within my ten minute walking radius any direction from my house, I can go to countless markets, cell phone stores, cafes and restaurants. We even have a Unesco World Heritage site,: a pre-Romanesque fountain 30 seconds away! The art, the atmosphere, the access and the security of knowing your neighbors make Oviedofeel safe and secure, like home.
Contemporary Oviedo is a little bit of everything. Pieces of history have b
een carefully maintained to realize Oviedo today such as the fountains, on Foncalada and the Fonton Plaza near the Cathedral. The mix of old and new has resulted in a unique city center and neighborhood design that today is described as a 20-minute neighborhood. These neighborhoods maintain the village feeling of easy access to daily needs and socialization, while still offering the benefits of living in a large, urban area.
Oviedo is a good example of the 20-minute neighborhood because of its more recent application of pedestrian friendly streets and the overall success of the design. Thirty years ago, the town government mandated more pedestrian friendly roads and public spaces. This movement helped to encourage walking between destinations and creating a smaller radius of commercialism in each part of the city. At first met 
with objection, the plan created underground parking across the city with installments of living streets or “woonerfs”, a Dutch word meaning streets that are created for the use of cars and pedestrians but the right of way is given to those on foot. Now the people are more connected to the area that surrounds them, using the public space to convene with the other locals that share a devotion to the neighborhood as it was before cars. This accessibility to socializing, devotion to the space and each other increases security, and thus the quality of life.
Quality of life also depends on the values of the people being supported by the city itself. Oviedo is full of stores that reflect the needs and desires of the people. There are markets on every corner providing 
healthy food. The abundance of cafes and public plazas shows the desire to be social and spend time with the people around them. The clothing stores show the prideful confidence the asturianos have in their appearance. The candy stores and baby clothes outlets show the value of children in this society. These stores are also full of local or Spanish goods, supporting the local agriculture and business. There are no Wal-Marts here because of the size constraints and because of a lack of interest of the citizens; that is just not what the people want. Oviedo is unique in the fact that it has been shaped for hundreds of years by the people living here and truly reflects the ideals of the people while not exhausting natural resources or space.
To answer the question “what is Oviedo?” it is the people who define the city. A city is a collection of reflections of the people that live there, offering means by which one interacts, socializes, and benefits from life itself. The streets, buildings, neighborhoods, city centers, and public spaces are formed passively over time by the inhabitants to increase the overall quality of life for themselves. Oviedo uses these 20-minute neighborhoods to support one another, perpetuate the culture, and work with the natural resources available by not sprawling or growing beyond Asturias’ living capacity. Throughout my visit here, Oviedo has become more than that to me. Today I see Oviedo as a prideful city: proud of the history, proud of the people, proud of Asturias and the fruitful land, and showing this pride through the cleanliness, security, and culture that leads to the quality of life in Oviedo.
