"Symbolic accessibility" Symbolic public space and culture on the outskirts of Barcelona. The case of Bon Pastor (Barcelona)

Abstract

The article discusses the ongoing experience in Barcelona's Bon Pastor district. An experience of citizen participation that aims to capture in the public space the civic memory of the neighbourhood. A co-management experience between the neighbours, the University, the District of Sant Andreu and the MUHBA (Museum of History of the City)with the creation of a space-museum focused on popular housing. Once the policies of the Barcelona City Council for improving the accessibility of people to their residence, public space and public transport are described, they are analysed the new emerging rights that suggest we cannot exclusively consider 'People's autonomy' from the individual dimension. Citizens, through existing participatory channels or new channels that can be opened, they have the right to actively participate in the proposals and projects for the built environment linked to their daily life, from a co-production and co-design perspective i.e. in 'bottom-up' processes. For this reason, the article calls for an extension of the concepts of accessibility to the symbolic dimensions of the public space that contributes to a better design for people. Certainly, understanding that this claim is only possible at a time when the social structure is or is on track to overcome the problems of physical accessibility. The article concludes that this expansion of the concept and the tools necessary to do so can contribute effectively against the processes of social exclusion.