Superilles creix a l'Eixample
The section of the city designed by Ildefons Cerdà, especially the Eixample, is an internationally recognised symbol of innovative urban planning. However, this area of Barcelona is subjected to the greatest pressure from motorised transport; it suffers the most pollution and noise, with everything that this implies for city residents. Furthermore, it is the district with the lowest number of green areas.
Applying the Superblock model in Cerda's part of the city makes it possible to define a new vision and project for the future, reorganising the city's general mobility in order to create new green streets and new squares at city crossroads. The aim is for Eixample residents to have a square or green street within 200 metres of their homes, with an especially significant increase in the number of meeting and relaxation areas available in the centre of the district.
Green streets and squares
Green streets are those where traffic-calming measures have been implemented, with places to relax and more vegetation, making it possible to travel on foot easily, comfortably and safely. Thanks to the city's characteristic street corners, or chamfers, new city squares are appearing at the crossroads of these green streets. Currently, these areas of about 2,000 m2 are exclusively for traffic, but they will become comfortable relaxation areas, where vegetation, permeable paving and play areas will take pride of place.
21 green streets are being created in the Eixample, with a total of 33 km of street and 21 new squares, giving a total of 3.9 hectares of new public spaces. The Eixample will gain a total of 33.4 hectares of new pedestrian areas and 6.6 hectares of urban green areas.
What are we going to do in this term of office?
Barcelona City Council will begin this term of office by transforming the Eixample’s public space through these priority initiatives:
- We are going to transform parts of C/ Consell de Cent, C/ Rocafort, C/ Comte Borrell and C/ Girona into green hubs. Tactical traffic-calming initiatives have already been implemented in some of these hubs, within the framework of actions for gaining space because of the COVID-19 healthcare emergency.
- We are going to create four large squares in the Eixample, each measuring roughly 2,000 m2. These squares will be located at the junctions between two green hubs, occupying the space dedicated to vehicles up to now: C/ Consell de Cent amb Rocafort, C/ Comte Borrell, C/ Enric Granados and C/ Girona.
Two “ideas” competitions
To make all this possible, the City Council held two public competitions for selecting architect and engineer teams that will help to define the calmed-street model for the 21st century and the squares that are going to be created at the crossroads.
The aim of the first competition is to select the future drafters of the redevelopment projects for the four streets that will turn them into green hubs during this term of office. The second competition is dedicated to finding drafters of the redevelopment projects for the four squares.
Further information:
Map of initiatives during this term of office (PDF)
Barcelona Superblock Presentation (PDF)
Barcelona Superblock Presentation (English) (PDF)
Following Sant Antoni’s example
The neighbourhood of Sant Antoni began the Eixample's superblock process, with the pacification of a large proportion of the neighbourhood.
The work carried out made it possible to gain 23,709 m2 of public space for pedestrians. By combining structural and tactical operations, Superblocks made it possible to pacify all of Carrer Comte Borrell and parts of Tamarit, Manso and Parlament. It was also possible to create new squares at the crossroads of these streets.
Furthermore, the new scheme for the Eixample includes the action plans for two areas where the Eixample Superblock programme has already been planned.
Barcelona Superblock: a project for the future
Barcelona Superblock is the strategy for the transformation of Barcelona’s public spaces. The aim is to convert space currently used by private vehicles into areas for city residents, by introducing a fairer and healthier model for public spaces.
We are proposing a network of green streets that extends throughout the city and prioritises journeys on foot, linking green areas and facilities in a safe, people-friendly way.
This new vision is guiding all the city's public-space transformations, including Avinguda Meridiana, Avinguda Diagonal and the 22@ district. This is the only way we can achieve the goals that Barcelona has established in its Climate Emergency Declaration and its new Urban Mobility Plan.
This map is the City Council’s initial proposal, which must now be agreed with all the other stakeholders in the city.
Barcelona Superblock
City scale
Green streets
Road map for the city's future transformation process. Proposal to be agreed.
Green street with pedestrian priority
Green street without pedestrian priority
Squares
Green urban corridors
Green areas
Facilities
Municipal boundary