Barcelona’s Superblocks as Spaces for Research and Experimentation
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Abstract
Barcelona’s superblocks have been recognized as an innovative model for city planning and urban design. This innovation has attracted the attention of researchers, city planners, the media, and students from around the world. Scholars from a variety of disciplines have travelled to Barcelona to learn about these transformations first-hand, asking questions about the transformation process, its impact on the city and its potential to be exported elsewhere. They have used diverse methods including site observations, interviews, discourse analysis, geospatial modelling, and simulation.
This article reviews the research undertaken in Barcelona’s superblocks and synthesizes what we have learned. This body of work has allowed certain aspects of the superblocks project to be well documented, while many questions remain. A review of the literature on the superblocks project shows that it has created a space for research and experimentation, a place that has served as a vehicle for student learning and exploration, allowing professionals to push the boundaries of what is possible in their respective cities. The Superblocks projects have advanced the agenda for urban experimentation, moving us closer to the flexible and experimental city, that incorporates learning and knowledge creation in daily practice of city planning and design.
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