Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

The Parc de la Canòpia at Plaça de les Glòries is set to be enlarged with a new green passage to Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes between the streets of Badajoz and Bilbao. The winning project to design the urban space freed up by the second tunnel under this area will take what was formerly a barrier for local people consisting of eight lanes of traffic and turn it into a new public space, linking the neighbourhoods of Clot, Provençals del Poblenou and El Parc i la Llacuna del Poblenou and backing sustainable mobility.

The area to be revamped covers 30,000 square metres, with greenery to play a central role and a large space with trees and recreational areas. The side with housing will get a curbless pavement and traffic lane for bikes, cars belonging to local residents and service vehicles. On the other side, where the shopping centre is, there will be a space for trams and buses to circulate in both directions.

In the centre of this space there will be a large passage 20 metres wide, offering a recreational area with water springs, seating and play elements such as table-tennis, chess and games for children. Spaces will be created for sports and other uses at the junctions of Sèquia Comtal – Llacuna, Rambla del Poblenou – Clot and Ciutat de Granada, and at the access points to the shopping centre.

The materials to be used in the project will have a low environmental impact, favouring the management of the water cycle and adopting people-friendly lighting in line with the new street model used for the Barcelona Superblock.

The winning project was created by the joint venture between ESTEYCO, SA – TRN TARYET, SA – JPAM Estudio de Arquitectura SLP, who will now start drafting the final project in conjunction with municipal specialists. The goal is for this to be ready in April 2023 so that work can be tendered before the end of the current term of office. In the meantime, a participatory process will bring a tactical project to be implemented in this space, with provisional trees, painted road surfaces, a meeting space with shade and urban furniture plus elements for children’s play and sport.

Driving the transformation of Glòries

The urban revamp to the Gran Via comes in addition to other important projects set to begin soon. The first stage of work to connect the tram systems in Av. Diagonal gets under way the week of 7 March and will help create a network linked to nine municipalities in the metropolitan area. Elsewhere, once the second road tunnel beneath Glòries is finished, street-calming work will get under way in the area around the Escola Casas, offering pupils and their families safer and healthier approaches to the school.

In the side lane of the Gran Via, between the streets of Bilbao and Rambla del Poblenou, one traffic lane is set to disappear and there will only be one for buses, taxis and local residents. The pavement here is to be widened, with a bike lane to be added along with spaces with trees and a new school bus stop. In addition, a square is to be created in the space delimited by the streets of Guatemala, Joan de Malta, Monturiol and the Gran Via, with three paths through it and a children’s play area.