Urban_Renewal



Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of reconstruction. The process has had a major impact on many urban landscapes, and has played an important role in the history and demographics of cities around the world.

Urban renewal may involve relocation of businesses, the demolition of structures, the relocation of people, and the use of eminent domain (government purchase of property for public use) as a legal instrument to take private property for city-initiated development projects.

Before the 80's the city of Barcelona shows a serious lack of public spaces, parks and facilities. The aim of a renovation in the town was to plan squares, streets and parks to better quality of urban life and to establish a tradition and expertise in this field because there was very little in the way of recent experience to relay on.

Over 140 projects produced during 7 years are significant enough to show the level of commitment in transforming the city, where distressed peripheral neighborhoods achieved notoriety by the quality of its public space. The resulted projects were well appreciated by citizens and helped to recover the sense of belonging and self-esteem.

The 1992 Olympic Games provided a catalyst for a change of scale of interventions within the city –during this period much larger projects and a general rethinking of urban issues would be possible. Small projects were not always useful to solve structural problems or endemic infrastructure lacks. Therefore the facilities and infrastructures needed by the Games were carefully designed and located in the city to guarantee both, the specific demands and requirements of the event, while providing new investments for the city according to their current and future demands. The Olympic Village was the starting point of the rehabilitation of Poblenou –an old industrial area of the city–, and of the waterfront of Barcelona. The construction of large-scale infrastructures –as the airport, a new ring-road around the city or the 35km under-grounded service gallery– allowed the city to take off and to face new challenges.



The urban transformation of the city and the success of the 1992 Olympic Games put Barcelona firmly on the map the so called “Barcelona Model”. This model is based on several elements such as public municipal leadership, consensus between public bodies; the involvement of private sector financing; the prevalence of architectural design over conventional zoning in town planning; strategic planning; municipal demands for high quality; and finally the idea that having the best ideas is more important than having the biggest wallet.

In the coming years following the Olympic Games of 1992, the Metropolitan Master Plan provides a list of urban renewal projects. Some of the guiding principles of the urban renewal policy include: emphasizing strong political and local leadership to drive the urban renewal process; providing tax incentives and grants to refurbish properties; conserving buildings of heritage value for public uses such as schools, libraries and cultural centers; using public funds to renovate historic buildings which are in poor condition; and completing building renovations to a high standard, both interior and exterior.

Within the spaces corresponding to the Urban Renewal of Barcelona are:


 * Cultural Forum **
 * ﻿ **

**Port Vell:** Before the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, the Port Vell, the city's old obsolete harbor was a rundown area with empty warehouses, industrial buildings, refuse dumps and railroad yards. In one of the most drastic urban renewal projects, the area was transformed into a yacht basin and entertainment centre, opening the city up to the sea. A coastal road was moved underground, and a pedestrian street now stretches from the Columbus monument to the suburban area of Barcelona.



**Diagonal Mar:** The Diagonal Mar is a large urban redevelopment project center around Barcelona's Avenue Diagonal. The district consists of residential areas, three office buildings, hotels, a shopping complex, a convention centre and a 35-acre public park, making it attractive to tourists and local citizens.





**Santa Caterina market:** The Santa Caterina market, which is located at the centre of an old neighborhood carrying the same name, is a covered retail marketplace which houses restaurants and vendor booths. One of the attractions of the Santa Caterina market is the roof, which is conceived as a curved and light surface that floats on a set of cables. Its outer surface is formed by colorful ceramic mosaics.



Was also elaborated the **22@Barcelona.** 22@Barcelona is a project that aims to fully integrate Barcelona in the new technological revolution of the knowledge economy. The Poblenou district, the main hub of Spanish industrialization during the 19th century, has become the leading economic and technological platform in Barcelona and Catalonia.