The Waterfront Redevelopment Strategies Utilized in Barcelona Build Off the City’S Rich History, Unique Challenges, and Defining Characteristics
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CASE STUDY SYSTEMS DIAGRAMS BARCELONA, SPAIN FIGURE GROUND CIRCULATION/BLOCK SIZE BARCELONA FIGURE GROUND LAND USE THE WATERFRONT REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES UTILIZED IN BARCELONA BUILD OFF THE CITY’S RICH HISTORY, UNIQUE CHALLENGES, AND DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS. La Barceloneta 4. Recover degraded squares with tree planting These objectives were used to retain and enhance the character of the city’s existing urban design framework in order to improve the quality of life for Barcelona residents as well as attract tourists to the area. PRIMARY RIGHT-OF-WAY SECONDARY RIGHT-OF-WAY Historical/Cultural/Social LOCAL RIGHT-OF-WAY RAILROAD RIGHT-OF-WAY REPRESENTATION BLOCK SIZE Analysis TRANSIT TRANSIT STOP Barcelona was cut off from the waterfront PEDESTRIAN PATH by a wall that surrounded the city up 0 500 FEET 0 500 FEET until its demolition in the 1870s. The new access to the waterfront in conjunction LAND-USE MIX OPEN SPACE NETWORK with the creation of the B-10 highway lead to development of the waterfront during OPEN SPACE CIRCULATION the late 1800s. Industrial infrastructure, Barcelona Waterfront (Source: TheSoundClique.com) such as docks and warehouses, were built along the waterfront to accommodate the increasing amount of sea trade and freight in and out of Barcelona. Introduction Urban Design Analysis The rapid growth following WWII was Barcelona’s contemporary, vibrant In the 1980s, the waterfront revitalization largely focused around suburbanization. waterfront was largely influenced by the projects Moll de la Fusta and PERI focused The lack of focus on city and waterfront 1992 Olympics and changing economic on the neighborhood of Barceloneta, development, coupled with the widening activities. This worldwide event provided which today includes the popular tourist of the B-10 highway, further isolated the momentum and resources the city destination Port Vell. The public realm of Barcelona’s waterfront and caused a large needed to revitalize the distressed Barceloneta’s waterfront was re-imaged decline in population. While Barcelona’s industrial waterfront. Old warehouses according to the following objectives (1) : population as a whole increased between COMMERCIAL were demolished for commercial uses 1. Harmonize the building heights MIXED USE 1950 and 1980, the population of the HOTEL and tourism. Barcelona is facing many and façades facing the waterfront RESIDENTIAL PEDESTRIAN PATH/PASSAGE waterfront region declined (2). CIVIC/INSTITUTIONAL PARK climatic and social challenges but city 2. Increase average size of flats In attempts to increase population, city PARKS & OPEN SPACE UNDEVELOPED LAND STREETSCAPE SQUARE/EVENT SPACE officials have been aggressive in response 3. Create better urban environment officials invested in two projects that PARKING INDUSTRIAL UNDEVELOPED to making the city more resilient. with rehab of buildings focused on waterfront revitalization, 0 500 FEET 0 500 FEET 2 3 green space, office buildings, a shopping CASE STUDY mall, a marina and a university (7). Port Vell is another major economic hub. Like other areas of Barcelona’s waterfront, this area was largely occupied by LYNCHIAN DIAGRAM BARCELONA, SPAIN industrial sea uses. Today this area houses commercial, retail, and recreational spaces such as office buildings, an aquarium, a marina, restaurants and Port clubs, a shopping mall with over 100 retail Olimpic spaces, and 80,000 acres of green space (8). Lessons Learned The waterfront redevelopment strategies La Barceloneta utilized in Barcelona build off the City’s Port Vell Barcelona Waterfront (Source: PortDeBarcelona.com rich history, unique challenges, and defining characteristics. The urban design Port Vell standards used during the waterfront Mediterranean Sea revitalization helped the City form climate change policies and planning basis of the commitments adopted by the a specific identity and maintain the practices. It is currently conducting State and the European Union.” (6) urban form that is unique to Barcelona. a study that “examines the effects of Economic Overview Various agencies are working to adapt LANDMARK climate change on coastal metropolitan The waterfront’s historic economy to climate change and other resiliency NODE and assesses their potential effects on revolved around industrial uses. The PATH measures. Finally, redeveloping the Barcelona one of the largest regional systems in the WATER EDGE restructuring of the manufacturing waterfront with respect to the City’s Port metropolitan area of Barcelona from the EDGE industry in Barcelona relocated many growing tourist economy and evolving DISTRICT standpoint of economic, ecological and of the waterfront’s industrial activities, port activities helped create an economy social” (5). leaving the existing infrastructure 0 1,000 FEET that represents Barcelona’s economic A third advocate for climate resiliency abandoned. needs and will continue to thrive into in Barcelona is the Catalan Office for The 1992 Olympics stimulated the future. Addressing all aspects of the Climate Change. This office is primarily in redevelopment of the waterfront to waterfront while incorporating a City’s charge of “promoting and coordinating in accommodate tourism. The Nova Icaria unique values, styles, and characteristics Moll de la Fusta and PERI. The main the waterfront and was located north challenges, renewable energy potentials, Catalonia the establishment of strategies district began reconstruction in 1987. The will enable planners to form a vibrant objectives were to increase attractiveness of the center city. The waterfront was reducing fossil fuel use at the port, and plans on the subject of mitigation and existing industrial buildings were cleared waterfront that will thrive for many years of Barcelona’s waterfront and attract further developed into a walkable park maximizing public transit, and lessening adaptation to the climatic change, on the and replaced with apartment buildings, residents, businesses, and tourists. This system for access between the Olympic the air and noise pollution. In the last to come. included narrowing and burying the Village and the district of Ciutat Vella. Port decade, Barcelona has addressed and B-10 highway in order to increase access Vell was redeveloped from industrial uses reacted to these challenges. REFERENCES to the waterfronts new developments, to a commercial and tourist hub. One of the key organizations working to including Port Vell. Existing industrial Climate Change/Resiliency improve climate conditions in Barcelona warehouses and other infrastructure is the Area Metropolitana de Barcelona 1 Jauhiainen, J. 1995. Waterfront entry/barcelona#/-_/ 8 Jauhiainen, J. 1995. Waterfront were demolished to make room for Analysis (AMB). AMB is a public administration Redevelopment and Urban Policy: The 4 esmig.eu/page/20-20-20-goals Redevelopment and Urban Policy: The commercial and residential focused land The city faces several resilience challenges that deals with a variety of social and Case of Barcelona, Cardiff and Genoa. 5 www.energee-watch.eu/members/ Case of Barcelona, Cardiff and Genoa. use. These projects altered the land uses like high and increasing unemployment environmental topics relating to the city’s European Planning Studies metrobs European Planning Studies on the waterfront to accommodate for which has had a strong impact on social future, including mitigating the effects of History. WNET, 2004. Web. 22 Jan. 2015. 6 canviclimatic.gencat.cat/en/oficina_ recreational and entertainment uses. structures, putting stress on traditional climate change (4). 2 Jauhiainen, J. 1995. Waterfront catalana_del_canvi_climatic/ Barcelona transformed in order to prepare family cohesion (3). Barcelona also faces The Metropolitan Climate Change Redevelopment and Urban Policy: The 7 Jauhiainen, J. 1995. Waterfront for the influx of spectators, athletes, challenges of flooding, heat waves, lack Observatory (METROBS) is an Case of Barcelona, Cardiff and Genoa. Redevelopment and Urban Policy: The and tourists for the 1992 Olympics. The of affordable housing and social inequity. environmental organization that conducts European Planning Studies Case of Barcelona, Cardiff and Genoa. Olympic Village was constructed along The city has begun to address pollution studies and provides advice regarding 3 www.100resilientcities.org/cities/ European Planning Studies 4 5.