Urban+Renewal





=__// The 2001 Barcelona Congress's themes //__= 1) The social and cultural components of urban renewal --> When some kind of intervention in the city is taking palce, it affects directly its inhabitants and their activities. Urban Planners must try to understand the specific circumstances of each place to ease the conflictive relationship between innovation and tradition. 2) The economic mechanisms in urban renewal --> We must find a balance between financial logic and the interests of the citizens. 3) Urban renewal and land --> We should aim to build up cities and compact areas, preserving the maximum proportion of free land.

 **1. The social and cultural components of urban renewal**

Urban renewal always affects, to some degree, the city’s overall tradition, as well as the inhabitants themselves and the activities in the area. It is a complex process which must combine the practical demands of today’s city with the values the area has gained throughout history. It often includes physical interventions that organise the space and introduce new development perspectives, but which can also affect the existing social and economic fabric.

Different cities may have very different circumstances, as well as different methodological focuses and objectives. These must be compared so as to obtain generally valid parameters in the complex and conflictive relationship between innovation and tradition.

From: http://www.bcn.es/urbanisme/ifhp/ =__// My opinion about this theme //__=

==== //Any intervention in the city, like a renewal for instance, will affect directly its citizens, and so will be affected their activities. A successful renewal will depend on how we, as professionals, provide solutions to the city's demand for development without leaving behind the consideration of its socio-cultural values. Therefore, I think that the theme called// //¨ Social and cultural components of urban renewal ¨ summarizes  the same idea.// ====

media type="custom" key="4701567" // RECORDING 2 // //__ Questions from videos of the Barcelona Renewal. __// The 1992 Olympic brought the creation of new infrastructure that improved the quality of life and the attraction of the city for tourism. The nomination of Barcelona as organizer for these games led to the application of a previously elaborated urban plan. The construction of the Olympic Village in what was before a decayed neighborhood, connected the city with the sea. Sports facilities were created and are still being used today. The construction of ring roads around the city helped reduce the congestion with traffic, the airport was modernized and expanded. New hotels were built and some old ones were refurbished. ¨Barcelona is a good example of how a city can use a large scale international event like the olympics for urban renewal.¨ = = = **__//My essay//__** =
 * Regarding the important conclusions arrived at the Barcelona congress, and after watching the videos below, how have the Olympics' infrastructure (the Olympic Village) affected the city of Barcelona?
 * What was the purpose of the Olympic Village?
 * What benefits did the different Olympic structures bring to the city/citizens?
 * Name at least 3 new projects (space transformation) and mention what old structures they replaced, if mentioned, and what specific benefit(s) brought to the city and/or citizens.
 * 1) The **Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc in 1989: an stadium in a large hill called Montjuic, to the southwest of the city which overlooks the harbour. It was rennovated to be the Olympic Stadium.**
 * 2) **The palace Real that was made into a Medieval art museum.**
 * 3) **The enlargement of the public transport and highway.**
 * What is the final conclusion of these videos?

__ //The spark of an urban renewal.// __ //As some people concluded in the 2001 Barcelona’s Congress called Urban Renewal, the interventions in the city will have a direct impact on their citizens and their way of living. Barcelona is an example of a city that used a large scale iternational event to renew its infrastructure without damaging the city’s historical patrimony.// //The 1992 Olympic games were the spark that led to the application of a previously elaborated urban plan. With the games, the city became a powerful attraction of tourists from all parts of the world. This fact produced billionaire inversions in new centres, sport facilities, public spaces, etc. The economic factor gave shape to the city and at the same time highlighted its historical tradition.//

//The urban renewal included multiple projects the expansion of the airport, the enlargement of the perimetral highway, the opening of the city to the sea, the construction of hotels and malls. Those were all new modern structures. But at the same time, the renewal included the use of old structures for different purpuses. A perfect example of this is The Real Palace that was for the residence of kings before and stablished as a medieval art museum nowadays.//

//The integration between new and old, improvement and tradition was handled outstandingly in the Barcelona’s Urban Renewal providing the city with new services and urban equipment that continues giving its citizens a better life quality.//