El Modelo Barcelona de espacio público y diseño urbano: small-scale public interventions as urban acupuncture

Abstract

Any city in the world suffers from density problems. From an urbanistic standpoint these problems are related to a shortage of public spaces and the presence of areas in poor conditions of ventilation and light, filled up with degraded buildings and small residual spaces that are misused or transformed into mere parking. In this final project I am studying small-scale public interventions as a system or method of urban acupuncture and hygiene that has been applied across the districts of Barcelona tackling important problems related to public spaces. I am studying the process of restoring, urbanizing and converting these degraded areas, that were occupied by "infected" buildings and deteriorated factories, or remained as left over junctions, into useful public spaces, mainly squares and gardens. My research is based on the concept of urban acupuncture and hygiene. Just like the Asian medical acupuncture heals and unblocks energy channels in the body so does urban acupuncture in a city. Much like the pressure points on a human body, punctual operations on the urban fabric are chosen to apply urban acupuncture causing by that a ripple effect, what Bohigas called metastasis, that provides the city with a chance to breathe in a new positive energy, render a better image and improve the usage of the new public space. In short, offering the citizens a better quality of life. All the research is based on the "Barcelona Model", where for the last two centuries, urban projects in every corner of the city were being carried out using the same system of urban acupuncture and hygiene. As case studies, several small-scale public interventions are selected in the districts of Barcelona, and analyzed according to their history, transformation, design approach, usage, choice of materials, urban furniture and greenery.