Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

Work is under way in twelve school playgrounds in Barcelona, with more greenery, shade and play elements to be added. The goal is to introduce features which further co-education, extend educational spaces at schools and foster their community use as neighbourhood facilities and climate shelters outside of school hours and during the holidays.

Making the most of the summer holidays, work is being carried out at the following schools:

• Escola Pau Casals (Gràcia)
• Escola l’Estel (Sant Andreu)
• Escola Milà i Fontanals (Ciutat Vella)
• Escola de les Aigües (Horta-Guinardó)
• Escola Palma de Mallorca (Nou Barris)
• Escola Auró (L’Eixample)
• Escola Bogatell (Sant Martí)
• Escola Ramon Llull (L’Eixample)
• Escola Francesc Macià (Sants-Montjuïc)
• Escola Parc de la Ciutadella (Ciutat Vella)
• Escola Duran i Bas (Les Corts)
• Escola Tàber (Sarrià – Sant Gervasi)

Transforming playgrounds

The measure forms part of the municipal programme ‘Transforming playgrounds into more natural co-educational and community spaces’. The initiative came from a joint creation process during the 2020-2021 school year, with the participation of the educational community and organisations which make use of school playgrounds: students, teaching staff, families, lunchtime monitors and sports and recreation associations.

One of the strong points of the programme is that it places greater importance on life in playgrounds, starting with the idea that the playground is the school, and as such must form part of the educational project, and that the educational community should take centre stage in reflecting on the improvements of the space, experience and uses of playgrounds.

Thanks to the programme, 23 school playgrounds have now been transformed, with the introduction of 150 trees. A further 15 playgrounds are due to be renovated next year.

Safer, healthier and more sustainable schools

The transformation of schools into safer facilities has also been extended to areas around schools with the programme ‘Protegim les escoles’. This initiative includes traffic-calming measures in the roads nearest schools, improvements to access areas, larger areas for people to spend time in, additional greenery and the introduction of more urban furniture.