On March 8th we visited in Barcelona the new “Lesseps” square designed by Albert Viaplana and the “Jaume Fuster” Library by Pep Llinás. The architect Miquel Batllé introduce the square design, to which we are thankful for its commentaries on the present use, the process of citizen participation and the difficulties that this project inaugurated at the end of the past year 2008 has generated, when trying to create a stay on scalextric road that communicates the districts of Gràcia and Sarrià-Sant Gervasi through General Ronda Mitre, with tunnels in all the senses and a surface with very little space for pedestrians. The new project has simplified the structure (a single tunnel that gives continuity to General Mitre towards Travessera de Dalt) and new green areas in the sides sea and mountain. On foot of street they are only four tracks that give continuity to the avenue of Vallcarca with Argentine Republic, the traffic it has been reduced, it increased the sidewalks surface and the pedestrian connectivity; in spite of it the car still has much presence on the place, the noise, the lack of hoisted and a furniture little adapted makes difficult the unit of the space, the rest of their users, and the mobility of the 20,000 pedestrians who cross the place daily.

Plaza Lesseps from edicions espontaneas on Vimeo.

Barcelona, citizen participation, City, neighbors, public space, square, urban design, urbanism