The CIHSE study trip to Barcelona, 11 to 15 October 2006
Introduction:
From 11 to 15 October 2006, 21 hardy souls embarked on a pilgrimage to the architectural Mecca that is Barcelona - in search of the Holy Grail of housing development - "the architectural orgasm". Such entertaining and colourful language (including "bulimia in architecture" and buildings described as being "autistic") - was used by our guide, local architect Heiko Trittler, to describe developments we visited on the tour and this helped to bring to life a potentially dry subject area. The purpose of the visit was to study the new and regenerated neighbourhoods built due to and since the Olympic Games.
Barcelona is constantly re-inventing itself. It has used landmark events such as the Universal Exhibition of 1888, the Exhibition of 1928, the 1992 Olympic Games and the 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures to regenerate parts of the City and to leave a legacy of new residential areas, business districts and innovative and inspiring architecture. Such a legacy makes Barcelona an interesting destination for a study visit and a good case study for urban regeneration.
History:
On the first day we attended a lecture by Heiko on the urban development and transformations of Barcelona at the architect's headquarters (COAC) at the Placa Nova in the heart of the Gothic quarter. Opposite the modern glass-fronted building sits the remains of a Roman city wall which has been built on throughout the centuries and absorbed into the city's architecture. This is symbolic of Barcelona's tendency to constantly adapt to new circumstances and create new styles of its own. Barcelona is over 2000 years old and it has grown in fits and starts throughout its history. Its Gothic quarter has more gothic buildings than any other city in Europe and its narrow lanes and beautiful churches such as the Santa Maria del Mar make it a magical place to visit, particularly on a balmy late Summer evening. By the mid 19th century Barcelona was being strangled by a lack of growth. Cotton and steam made it the first industrial city in Spain and it had to expand. The result was the Eixample or "extension" - a new city designed in 1859 by the socialist engineer Idelfons Cerda. Equal square blocks, not dominating in one direction or another were part of his idea of a rational city, to create a rational society where everyone had the same equal opportunity. The idea was of an egalitarian society where everything was exactly the same and there was no hierarchy. This would avoid the Hausmann effect where the wealthy would gather in the main avenue, and the side street would be where the services would gather. Today the Eixample has the greatest concentration of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe and perhaps the world. It was here that Antoni Gaudi created his masterpieces the Casa Bottla and Casa Mila. By the end of 1880s the industrial exhibition tore down the last of the old Bourbon Citadel which was turned into a fair ground. Like many of Barcelona's subsequent transformations, this was the result of an ambitious mayor. It created a new architectural movement - Catalan Modernism. This was a fusion of the old and new - tile, brick, iron, stained glass - the traditional crafts of the Catalans and Gothic and Moorish influences. Catalans have a sense of distinctness from their Spanish compatriots - they have a separate language and cultural identity and all signs in Barcelona are in Catalan as well as the main Spanish language Castilian. Throughout its history Barcelona has inspired and influenced people - it was here that Picasso spent many of his formative years and it is also where George Orwell was inspired to write his Homage to Catalunyia and fight for the revolutionary cause against Franco and the Nationalists.
Background:
Today Barcelona is a densely populated city of approximately 1.7 million inhabitants which despite its density enjoys a high level of social cohesion. The culture in Spain is to stay at home with the parents and eventually inherit the property, rather than flee the nest. Owner-occupation is the dominant form of tenure - the split being approximately 80% owner-occupation, and 20% rented. Property is seen as an asset and an investment and with property prices rising 15 - 17% per year over the past 15 years it is not difficult to see why. Most social housing is still owned, residents receive a discount that they do not have to pay back if they stay in the property for a number of years. Like the UK, Barcelona has its own affordability problem, however, housing is less affordable in Barcelona compared with the UK as wages are lower and property prices are high and rising. Usual building costs for a home range from 700 - 1000 euros per square metre and are sold for 4000 - 6000 euros per square metre.
Apartment living is a culturally accepted way of life, and houses in their own grounds are a rarity. This and the clement sunny climate also makes for a vibrant street culture. Most blocks of flats are six storeys high with the ground floor taken over by retail and commercial use. This mix of uses seems to work very well in Barcelona and is a vivid contrast to the equivalent flats over a parade of shops in the UK, which is neither popular with developers nor residents. The Spanish are not used to living on the ground floor.
Barcelona uses public space much better than we do in the UK to link areas, and to create a dialogue between the past and present. Generally there is an absence of graffiti as would be expected in public spaces in UK which suggests that these spaces are respected by their users. There is more imaginative use of tree-planting and different levels, and generally a higher quality of paving in broad avenues and boulevards incorporating innovative street furniture and sculptures. In Barcelona you can turn a corner and be surprised by a work of art.
Barcelona enjoys a reliable, inexpensive and modern transport system which makes it easy to move around the City. No visit to Barcelona would be complete without a stroll down the Ramblas, the main thoroughfare where the pedestrian is King and cars are relegated to either side of a broad avenue where people can take in the relaxed atmosphere and watch the street performers; contrast this to the crowded narrow pavements of say Oxford or Regent Street, where traffic rules. Underground parking up to 3 floors is Barcelona's solution to the problem of parking for the compact city and this is aided by its geology - Barcelona is built on clay.
The planning process in Barcelona takes place largely without public consultation and is more flexible as a result. Architects in Barcelona are also the Planners. Planning is undertaken using broad descriptions within zones, rather than detailed design. Architects are allocated an area of development to encourage different styles in an area.
The Generalitat is the state government of Catalunya which meets in a Gothic Palace in Placa Sant Jaume directly opposite the Ajuntament, the town hall of the city of Barcelona. The state government is responsible for strategic issues including planning and social housing, while the City Council undertakes local functions, including licensing and the management of open spaces.
The Tour
Wednesday 11 October :
Following the lecture on the first day we toured the old city (Ciutat Vella) on foot. This area comprised the original old town of Barcelona, dating back to medieval times. The housing was mainly six storey, high density tenement blocks, packed close together. The extent of the poverty in the area resulted in flats being illegally sub-let with homes partitioned. Low rents meant lack of investment from private landlords. The Town Council embarked on an ambitious program in the late 80s to regenerate the different quarters (barris) of the old city. It compulsory purchased the majority of the housing after a negotiated compensation settlement, using tax incentives with the remainder to refurbish properties to a higher standard. An open space policy attempted to improve access between neighbourhoods. This involved demolishing some buildings to make way for public spaces, which were built before the housing was refurbished.
Examples of this include the Rambla del Raval, the latest urban boulevard to be driven through the old town and Placa de les Caramelles. The latter was where a large square had been created following demolition of buildings, however the space was not landscaped and local residents had given the space its own identity with the use of bicycle wheels. Some of the newer buildings here did not visually link with the older ones, with a clash on the horizontal and vertical scale. The police could be seen patrolling in this relatively deprived neighbourhood and we were advised to keep a look out for pick-pockets. The Rambla del Raval is an area where new immigrants to the city have tended to settle.
The renovation of the Santa Caterina market building in the Sant Pere neighbourhood with its unusual multi-coloured wooden roof structure was the focal point of a scheme which included a new residential block of flats for elders. Work has continued to spruce up the streets and squares around this attractive market building.
Seen from the street the dominant forms of this organic building are the rippling vaults of the roof edges. The vaults vary in section along their length just as the architect Enric Miralles designed at the Scottish Parliament.
We then visited apartments in Calle del Carme and Calle d'en Roig. The building here visually links the Calle del Carme and Hospital via the Calle d'en Roig using different alignments, orientation, staggering, and suppression of the ground floor corner. The building lets Calle del Carme communicate with Calle d'en Roig.
There is a mixing of old and new designs with retention of the old facades so there is the old streetscape on one side and the new on the other - Heiko called this process "subversion of the urban design." The new designs seek to repeat the lines of the old buildings but are often sharp and angular.
The strategy is to redevelop from the edge of the older "fashionable" areas to encourage gentrification. Original medieval stone facades were exposed in places, thus becoming incorporated in the new design and creating a link between the past and present.
Thursday 12 October:
On the second day due to the pouring rain we were glad to continue our tour by minibus which picked us up at our hotel in the Poble Nou neighbourhood. We were driven to the Nou Barris district which is one of the more recently built parts of the city. The most spectacular growth took place as a result of the waves of immigration during the 50s and 60s. Development here was undertaken with no regard for strategic planning, however, resulting in isolated developments and new neighbourhoods without any link to each other. There was no requirement for buildings to blend in with the local environment and Heiko referred to Œautistic buildings'.
An example of interesting treatment of public space (described by Heiko as "abstruse"), was a park we visited, where numerous low trees were used to create a lower environment and hide the poor architecture of the surrounding building facades. A large wooden roof-like structure created a sense of space in the square. Birdcages were hung on the perimeter fence which created a surreal atmosphere (there is a local tradition of keeping birds). Open spaces between housing blocks were used to make areas more attractive and a community centre next to an open space in one of the neighbourhoods helps to increase neighbourhood interaction. However, the roads were littered with dog mess and we did not see people using the open spaces when we visited (on a bank holiday).
The nearby ring road was built as part of a 35km orbital ring road called the Ronda de Dalt which relieves streets in the city centre and has improved the connection with other parts of the metropolitan area. It was covered over in some places as a result of pressure from local middle class residents groups and sunk in sections to reduce the visual and acoustic effect. This landscaped, sunken peripheral highway is one of the finest contributions of 1992 Olympics. As well as improving traffic flows, it has had an important influence on upgrading different parts of the city. The road is also notable for its imaginative incorporation of tree cover and street furniture. At points along the ring road were flights of false steps which lead nowhere.
We visited Nou Barris Central park where large sculptures and artificial trees had the effect of acting as a visual bridge to join the large buildings to the streetscape. We then visited Vall d' Hebron, one of the four 1992 Olympic areas. Its location with its abrupt changes in level conditioned the laying out of the area as a series of platforms overlooking the city. This area was built for journalists and the housing was financed by being sold to eventual owners during the development and before being used for the Olympics. The buildings were used to experiment with new materials and bold designs - a series of courtyards connected by internal streets. We noticed some design detail problems with gravel washing down steps and some deterioration of external metal cladding.
A visit to a bio-climatic block of flats stimulated a discussion on sustainability. Wood is not widely used in Spain due to lack of supply and the fact that wood deteriorates quickly in the Mediterranean climate. There seemed to be no evidence of any sustainable components or energy efficiency and Heiko was critical of the lack of sustainability policies, admitting that he was "polluted by other influences".
Friday 13 October:
On the last day of the tour we attended a lecture at the headquarters of the 22@ project, a 20 year project to 2020 covering an area of 200 hectares, the largest regeneration scheme of its kind in Europe. This latest regeneration project Barcelona has thrown itself into is its response to the challenge facing all major industrial cities today - the shift away from the manufacture of objects and goods, towards the transmission of electronic info and the creation of new knowledge economies.
Image: The Agbar Tower at the heart of the 22@ regeneration project
In the late 1990s there was a debate about whether to develop predominantly residential or business uses. Although residential would have been quicker and the increased housing supply would have responded to significant shortages, thereby increasing affordability by lowering housing prices in the city, the decision was taken to develop it as a business area to create an important new business district in the centre of the city, with ease of access (the example of Canary Wharf in London was given). The 22@ project will concentrate on post-industrial uses, creating a hi-tec quarter devoted to knowledge and information technologies. The decisive factor in its location was the proximity of a new High Speed Train Station linking Barcelona to Madrid. There is a swing away in the new development from the perimeter courtyard block principle of the Eixample, towards a greater concentration of towers and free-standing objects. The area is dominated by the Agbar Tower, the third tallest building in Barcelona which competes on the city's skyline with Gaudi's famous monument La Sagrada Familia. A kind of multi-coloured version of London's Swiss Rea building, the Agbar has a double-skin with random openings (described by Heiko as "alleotoric"). Proposals for the area around the Placa de Les Glories Catalanes at the heart of the district include a Park and Ride and a garden using local plants in the centre of a large roundabout with a metro station at its centre. New development in the area will be split as follows - 70% commercial and 30% given to other uses comprising 10% public space, 10% knowledge services and 10% social housing.
A tour of "La Mina" neighbourhood followed. La Mina has a bad reputation in the city and most local people would not choose to visit, let alone tourists. The local area developed its own identity in the 1920s-30s with slum housing from concrete structures next to the beach. In the 1970s high-rise blocks were built alongside the older housing. The original Mina was of traditional brick construction, tunnel-form concrete was used for the more modern buildings. These flats are larger than the average in the city and have a 50-year restriction before they can be sold on the open market. There was a conscious decision to maintain people in place, with public facilities such as a nursery, primary and secondary school, bank and health centre located within the nucleus of the district. The neighbourhood was self-contained fenced off by a railway line and ring road, and separated from other residential areas by factories and it became isolated as a result. There was no strategic urban plan for these areas to link them together.
Image: Regeneration of La Mina neighbourhood
Like many similar concrete jungles in the UK by the mid 70s La Mina had already deteriorated. With 25% of the local population made up of gypsies, forced there by the politics of the Franco Regime, La Mina became an ethnic ghetto and industrial obsolescence and mass unemployment in the 80s exacerbated social problems. Litter became a problem and a roof had to put up to cover the ground floor to stop rubbish being thrown down from residents. The geometry of the estate with a wide rambla and clear alignments between blocks was used to facilitate police control.
Under the new regeneration plans, it is planned to humanise and soften La Mina by reducing the monolithic scale of the high rise blocks by use of an intermediate scale and the public facilities will be placed on the periphery of the district, to promote integration between the localities. A new pedestrian access will link La Mina with the neighbouring industrial area, which will be developed into residential space. A new axis will link the centre of la Mina to the Forum area, the new sports harbour and the new beaches beyond the rubbish incinerator. Tram lines will be introduced to the area to link to the city centre. Urban funding is now being used to replace lifts, for cladding and damp problems, and neighbours in "staircase communities" pay into a fund to maintain the roof, lift and stairs. This unusual arrangement is how communities of owners in flats are dealt with across Barcelona.
Regeneration of this area will bring hotels, primary and secondary schools, a new University and housing to the surrounding area, a medical centre, social services, and a new church. This is the first time La Mina district has been integrated in Barcelona's urban planning as previously there was no one holistic plan but several layers. Parking provision has not previously been provided for, but the new developments will bring 1.4 spaces per flat to cover existing and future needs.
Tenure mix for the new development will be 60% social housing and 40% market housing. The district is currently 100% social housing and 40% of the new social housing will absorb the current residents. A student accommodation block will be provided to link to the local campus. There was no evidence of how the new development will be marketed to attract new people to the area, but the new transport links, open spaces and locating public buildings and facilities on the periphery near to district boundaries is hoped to encourage more social movement, linking La Mina with its surroundings.
The Poble Nou neighbourhood also hosted the 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures which was used as a catalyst to develop new housing, and to resolve the link between northern end of the Diagonal Mar and the Sea. It underwent major redevelopment as a result, bringing with it new amenities built by some of the top names in the architectural world - the largest convention centre in Southern Europe, a marina, new beaches, an auditorium and the world's second largest plaza after Tiananmen square. The Forum building itself (see photo) was designed by the internationally renowned architects Herzog & De Meuron. The Forum development makes the best of a formerly underused and inaccessible space, despite its location sandwiched between an unattractive incineration plant and water purification plant. A new metro station is planned which will reduce its isolation.
The Parc Diagonal Mar links the Avenue Diagonal directly to the beach via a series of play areas with benches, lakes and a water cascade. The coastal ring road is crossed via a pedestrian cross bridge.
According to our guide Heiko, the architect of the scheme Miralles lost his way and "developed a bulimia in architecture - absorbing the formal languages of architectural history and reinventing himself continuously".
The last area we toured was the Olympic Village which was built on a former heavy industrial site. The Council funded the development through the sale of the television rights for the Olympics and a bank loan. Housing was initially occupied by the international media during the Games. Homes were then mainly sold with some for rent for local residents. The purchase of these new homes gave the Council enough funds to repay their bank loans well ahead of schedule. The City Council aimed to provide 50% social housing but this was not accepted by the Government. Flats in the village are now beyond the means of most residents. The Olympic Village enhanced Barcelona's reputation, boosted economic activity and promoted tourism and was used to deliberately establish a secure middle-class enclave re-linking the city to the sea in an area where industrialisation and railways had for along time separated them.
Housing includes blocks and pavilions over partly enclosed courts. The Olympic village has left a legacy of a new residential area together with a harbour, hotel and shops and offices - this mix of uses has given vibrancy to the area.
Heiko explained the commentary by the architect Bohigas. Taking concepts from Sebastian Seulio who wrote in the 16th Century, using Aristotle's analogy of tragedy and comedy, the "Tragic city" is the classical ordered city with large regular buildings. The "Comic City" was represented by the medieval city which grew in a more chaotic way. Bohigas sought to combine large slab blocks with houses in the courtyard, to create the tragic-comic city.
Conclusion:
Barcelona tries hard to meet the challenges facing all major cities today - to stay modern and vibrant by creating new hi-tec industries and knowledge economies or lapse into trivial regionalism. In the age of Globalisation tourism cannot make up for uncertainty about a role in a wider world. Because of landmark events such as the Olympics, Barcelona has the confidence to embark on major regeneration projects such as the 2004 Forum of Cultures exhibition and the current Project 22@. But with property prices booming as a result of these high-profile regeneration schemes and a lack of emphasis on social housing, it is questionable whether they are meeting the needs of local residents.
Report written by Jonathan Cavanagh with contributions from Emily Dickson and John Butler.