The superblock story : socio-political narratives behind Barcelona’s urban transformation
This thesis explores the socio-political conditions that enabled the implementation of the Superblock project in Barcelona. It examines why this progressive, sustainable urban initiative was successfully implemented where similar initiatives often fail. It argues that while the Superblocks are prais...
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| Tipo de documento: | dissertação |
| Data de publicação: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Recursos: | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
| Repositório: | UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/442665 |
| Acesso em linha: | https://hdl.handle.net/2117/442665 |
| Access Level: | Acceso aberto |
| Palavra-chave: | Public spaces Design urbain Espais públics Disseny urbà Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Urbanisme::Projecte urbà |
| Resumo: | This thesis explores the socio-political conditions that enabled the implementation of the Superblock project in Barcelona. It examines why this progressive, sustainable urban initiative was successfully implemented where similar initiatives often fail. It argues that while the Superblocks are praised for addressing issues like climate change, air pollution, and access to green space (among other benefits) their implementation is not the result of good design alone. The research employs a comparative approach by analysing three distinct case studies. The findings reveal that the most critical factor is a government with a clear vision and the political will to act on it. The analysis demonstrates a progression from small, low-risk changes which allowed the government to make mistakes and grow their experience to larger initiatives that attracted significant media and political attention. It concludes that the level of community engagement, and relevant policy had little influence on whether Superblocks were ultimately built. Instead, these factors subtly influenced the way they were implemented, shaping details and managing local concerns. The media’s influence was less clear but may be afforded some credit for the removal of a pro-Superblock government. The decisive element was the government's determination to proceed, even in the face of fierce criticism and a potential loss of political power, a resolve predicated on the belief that the lasting impact of the Superblocks was more valuable than a short-term political victory. These findings underscore the vital role of political will in implementing sustainable interventions in the built environment. |
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