Designing healthier cities to improve life quality: unveiling challenges and outcomes in two Spanish cases

This study assesses the early outcomes of the Poblenou Superblock in Barcelona and a nature-based solutions project in Valladolid. By critically analysing available data and collecting residents’ perceptions, the analysis depicts to what extent the project’s interventions enhanced environmental quality and residents’ well-being. Results highlight the role of the traffic space recovery strategy in Barcelona as a driver for larger benefits, allowing the creation of socially attractive public spaces along with greenery. This led to more appreciated interventions, possibly boosted by the post-pandemic context and city branding strategy. A potential downside concerns the likely gentrification processes triggered by these improvements.

Supporting evidence

The Superblock project is based on a comprehensive neighbourhood-scale renovation intervention that relies on an existing urban layout (in this case the regular grid of streets and blocks of the Cerda’s Plan) within a spatially-bounded area that covers a full urban component (i.e., a multi-block area). It has been conceived as part of a comprehensive city planning strategy aimed at reducing space dedicated to road traffic in favour of higher quality public space for pedestrians in terms of improved walkability, enhanced public equipment provision, and increased green areas. Within the Superblock, streets become shared public spaces, serving many functions, from slow mobility (walking or cycling) to entertainment, sports, or social gatherings. The absence of through traffic reduces noise and air pollution and the new public space seeks to encourage multi-modal transportation and sociable street life (Roberts 2019).

The case of Valladolid instead focuses on a Nature-based Solution (NbS) implementation program involving a set of punctual interventions that, despite being locally adapted, can be generally applied at any scale/location, and they can consist of a single component (e.g., a tree) or an entire element of the landscape (e.g., a tree alley). The program was financed by an EU pilot project that was not initially conceived and (fully) embedded within a comprehensive city planning and design process or strategy.

Key findings

The responses of residents reveal a rather clear difference in how the outcomes of the two projects are perceived and appreciated. The case of Barcelona received more positive feedback regarding socio-environmental benefits and spatial qualities but also raised more concerns about the potential negative effect related to the increase in the cost of living due to the improvements promoted by the project.

Planning approaches aimed at creating healthier urban places that simultaneously involve multiple ‘planning spheres’ (e.g., green space planning and design, traffic and transportation planning, and public facility improvement, as in the Superblock project) to promote integrated planning strategies seem more likely to generate greater positive outcomes and citizens’ appreciation than the ones solely relying on urban greening (standalone) strategies, such as in the Valladolid case.

The authors conclude that strategic, integrated, larger-scale, and more visible investments are required to accrue substantive benefits and gain public acceptance of planning interventions promoting urban greening (and healthier urban environments in general.

Although the beneficial socio-environmental outcomes of the two analysed projects are undoubtedly relevant, to fully achieve the goal of improving the living conditions of all citizens also possible negative consequences for the inhabitants should be monitored and addressed. The primary concern highlighted by the authors is the possible link between gentrification and such traffic calming measures.

In the context of public health and in light of the recent pandemic health measures, both projects were significant in promoting residents’ and non-residents’ health, largely through the provision of green space and reduced negative effects of motorized traffic.