Sites for Design Proposals
Sites for Development
For the purposes of design projects one may divide the sites into three categories. The list is not of course exhaustive. The states of the sites are as they were in mid 1996. The sites can be located from the Guia city plan
The choice will depend on the scale of project sought, the nearness to `reality' that is wanted and therefore the need for live data or not. It may not be possible for example to get detail on ownerships etc, if a council brief has not been agreed, or without some prior connecting with city officials - not necessarily easy to set up.
Potential sites for new development
- La Sagrera - the planned high speed train terminal location in north east Barcelona. City and Generalitat probably close to agreeing planning brief.
- Besos valley - the north eastern border of Barcelona, partly within other municipalities. Major environmental implications from nearby factories, long term political aspiration to make grand parkland.
- Diagonal Mar - large vacant sites on coast line beyond Vila Olimpica and Poble Nou.
- Diagonal - continuation of Diagonal to sea from Glories, with large sites either side being made available with changes from industrial uses.
- Placa Cerda - a redevelopment of 1960s office blocks and associated road surfaces, recently subject to brief agreed by council; on main road to airport.
Partially developed sites for completion
6. Glories - National Theatre finished 1997, but surrounding ? parkland still to be resolved, to establish whole sense of area and all its uses.
7. Tarragona - quite successful new office area, but some sites and issues to be tidied up and resolved, including use of redundant bull ring.
8. Raval and Ribera - implementation well advanced but still some scope to counter or adapt the existing plans in these two areas of major change in the old city.
9. Placa Catalunya, office and retail block sites - under construction in 1997-1998, but scope to propose alternative solutions to this key zone, important in social and economic and cityscape terms.
Recently developed sites
10. Vila Olimpica - what should really have been done with this, the ultimate prime urban site, and what would have conditionned the feasibility of different solutions?
11. Vall d'Hebron - a very different challenge for a large outer city site; issues of density, financing, choice of uses.
12. Trinitat - one of the biggest `roundabouts' in Europe - looking at alternative design solutions to what to do to the vast area in and and around it, mainly made into parkland now.
13. Montjuic - a rather massive question, as to whether the 1992 redevelopment of significant parts of the mountain was the most appropriate, given the decision to site the main Olympic events there.
14. Parallel - a smaller site, previously an electric power station and indicated in the PGM as for public open space; subsequently permission given for its redevelopment as offices for electricity companies and for open space; complex negotiations and eventually deals between companies, council, Generalitat and residents; a manageable but still large site.
15. The old port - was the redevelopment begun in 1984, continued in 1990-1993 and now largely completed, the right one, maximising the various possibilities? The port may be split up into its component parts (the quays as they were in the early 1980s - around 6) or viewed in other ways.
