Franco’s urban legacy The case of Badia del Vallès Liliana Solé Figueras Wageningen University Land Use Planning Group Gaia building (building number 101) Droevedaalsesteeg 3 6708 HB Wageningen The Netherlands Franco’s urban legacy. The case of Badia del Vallès Student: Liliana Solé Figueras Student Registration Number: 880816-785-030 Supervisors: Claudia Basta and Martijn Duineveld MSc thesis examiner Prof dr ir Adri van den Brin Abstract According to the theoretical framework used to analyse the proposed case-study, architecture and spatial planning are social and cultural practices that construct and reproduce discourses in the built environment (Petrovici, 2008). Moreover, the theoretical framework used for this research also defends that discursive realities are in constant evolution, and are always grounded on previous discourses (Van Assche, Beunen et al., 2014). This research aims at understanding what the relevance of past discourses for present narratives is. The utility of identifying such legacies relates to understand past and present discursive realities as a mean to identify what the future progresses of social discourses and narratives could be, and thence to promote changes in the direction of better future. Since, according to the theoretical framework used, discourses are grounded on previous discourses (Van Assche, Beunen et al., 2014); future discursive realities should consist of a development of the present ones. This research attempts to test the theoretical assumption (i.e. discursive realities are always grounded on previous discourses) by focusing on the case of Spain during Franco’s dictatorship. The thesis investigates the relations between architecture, spatial planning and Franco’s discourses at the scope of identifying the legacies of such discourses in present narratives. To develop this investigation one case study is chosen, that is, the municipality of Badia del Vallès (Catalonia, Spain). Badia del Vallès was the last social housing area developed under Franco’s regime. The case study is analysed through discourse analysis, literature review and interviews to 17 residents and 3 to experts on the area. The results have shown that some of the discursive realities reproduced by inhabitants nowadays are grounded on the past discourses that led to the construction of Badia del Vallès. Therefore, this finding confirms the theoretical assumptions of the research. Moreover, these results provide the possible tracks of future narratives. Albeit promising, these results are of limited applicability due to the lack of a continuous discourse analysis, which cannot be applied in the context of this research. Nevertheless, they offer a reliable source for reflecting on the legacies of Franco’s dictatorship in the current and possibly future narratives of citizens of Badia del Valles, regarding their living environment. Key words: Legacies, path dependence, Franco, Baida del Vallès discourse analysi I Preface and acknowledgements One year ago I started this research within the Master program in the Land Use Planning Group with the specialization of Spatial Planning. This research aims at fulfilling my personal need to understand the reasons of recent urban developments in Spain, to comprehend present situations and imagine future scenarios. Therefore, this research is a result of the personal wish to go one step backward to be able to move two steps forward; hence, to comprehend present and future scenarios by understanding past ones. Logically, due to the time frame it was not possible to study the whole country. Therefore, I focused in one specific area: Badia del Vallès. I chose this city because of its singularity and its relation with Franco’s dictatorship. During all this time working on this research I have been for different academic and personal phases. However, I consider that finally I achieve to fulfil academic and personal aspirations. Thanks my supervisors for the feedback, the patience and to push me when needed. Also thanks to my family and my Wageningen friends to support me in this long trip to the past, present and future. II Summary According to the theoretical frame used to analyse the proposed case-study architecture and spatial planning are social and cultural practices that construct and reproduce discourses in the built environment (Petrovici, 2008). Accordingly, states and other powerful groups attempt to connect citizens and political projects through material forms, and thus through the built environment (Jones, 2011). Furthermore, the theoretical frame used also defends that discourses are in constant evolution, and are always grounded on previous discursive realities (Van Assche, Beunen et al., 2014). Many authors have been studying the relation between architecture, planning or urban design and discourse reproduction in the case of authoritarian regimes (Goverde, 1992; Vale, 1992 Yiftachel, 1998; Hirst, 2005; Sklair, 2006; Hagen, 2010; Sudjic, 2011; Jones, 2011; Zira, 2012). Nevertheless, not many authors have studied the legacies of the discursive realities of authoritarian regime once the authoritarian regime is replaced by other forms of organized political power (Young, 1993; Vale, 1992; Jones, 2011; Petrovici, 2008). In the same vein, this research aims at understanding what the relevance of past discourses for present narratives is. The utility of identifying such legacies relates to understand past and present discourses as a mean to identify what the future progresses of social discourses, and narratives could be and thence to promote changes in the direction of better future. Since, according to the theoretical framework used, discourses are grounded on previous discourses (Van Assche, Beunen et al., 2014), future discourses should consist of a development of the present ones. This research attempts to test the theoretical assumption (i.e. discourses are always grounded on previous discourses) by focusing on the case of Spain during Franco’s dictatorship. The thesis investigates the relations between architecture, spatial planning and Franco’s discourses at the scope of identifying the legacies of such discourses in present narratives. Through discourse analysis, literature review and 17 interviews to residents this research identifies the main discourses that underpinned and led to the construction of Badia del Vallès and the legacies of these narratives nowadays. To identify the discursive realities that led to the construction of Badia del Vallès, a short review of Franco’s dictatorship is reported (chapter 4); further research about Franco’s discursive realities is object of a following section (chapters 4), wherein the discursive domains that converge in social housing discourses are identified (chapter 5). In the following, the specific discourses that led to the construction of III Badia del Vallès (chapter 6) and the contemporary legacies of these discourses (chapter 7) are discussed. The results have shown that some of the discourses reproduced by inhabitants nowadays are grounded on the past discourses that led to the construction of Badia del Vallès. Therefore, this finding confirms the theoretical assumptions of the research. Moreover, these results provide the possible tracks of future narratives. Albeit promising, these results are of limited applicability due to the lack of a continuous discourse analysis, which cannot be applied in the context of this research. Whilst this research has analysed past discourses’ formation and compared them with the current situation, it is important to consider that discursive realities are in constant evolution, and are always grounded on previous discourses (Van Assche, Beunen et al., 2014). Thus, in some cases is not possible to deeply comprehend the constant transformation of discursive realities and their evolution. Further research should therefore explore discursive realities construction through a continuous effort of analysis. Still, they offer a reliable source for reflecting on the legacies of Franco’s dictatorship in the current, and possibly future discourses of citizens of Badia del Valles regarding their living environment IV Table of contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... I Preface and acknowledgements .................................................................................................... I Summary ....................................................................................................................................... II 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Built environment and power ............................................................................................ 1 1.2. The study case .................................................................................................................... 2 1.3. Problem statement ............................................................................................................ 4 1.4. Objective ............................................................................................................................ 4 1.5. Research questions ............................................................................................................ 4 2. Theoretical framework .........................................................................................................