The city is a living entity in constant transformation, renewing itself and adapting to the needs and interests of its inhabitants.
There are small transformations that do not usually have a major impact on the appearance of the neighbourhoods or areas where they are located: an old block that is demolished or an empty plot where a new building can be constructed; a new green area or an office building… Small transformations that occupy small plots in the immensity of the city.
But from time to time, opportunities arise that generate transformations and, due to their size, end up modifying large areas within the city. Large plots of land that change use, old disused facilities, peri-urban agricultural areas that have been absorbed by urban growth, etc.
When such opportunities arise, a large plot of land that changes to a new use can be put to different uses: a new commercial area, public facilities —such as sports centres, schools, hospitals, etc.— or residential buildings can be built.
In this route, we will focus on the latter. Large urban developments intended mainly for residential use have a major impact on the landscape in which they are located. These are homogeneous urban projects, designed, planned and built as a separate entity, distinct from the neighbourhood in which they are located. They are like small cities within the city, with their own thoroughfares, green spaces and areas designated for shops or offices.
What interests us is to see how these large-scale developments change the appearance of their surroundings, how they create new public spaces and how they relate to private spaces, as well as to the pre-existing neighbourhood.
This route also allows us to observe the differences between these urban projects according to their target audience, from the affluent classes in the upper part of Barcelona to the working classes closer to the Zona Franca.
These are spaces that draw the boundaries between public and private.
From the neighbourhood to the home, from the home to the neighbourhood.
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