Research 2

In past years, Barcelona has increasingly faced great urban problems due to the increase in density and population along with social and cultural tension rise. As focus settle on in on Barcelona for exponential development, the attention also landed on wellbeing of its population, increasingly impacted by loud noise and horrible air quality. In some communities, the air quality was so bad that Barcelona’s mortality rate was growing at an alarming level. Now with new variables such as growing refugee communities and pandemic orders, Barcelona is given the chance to continue using Super Blocks as a way to protect the well being of its resident communities and support its local economy. Shared streets are useful methods to mitigate automobile exhaustion through neighborhoods which is directly related to how high air quality parameters can reach or how noisy a street can become.

As local businesses and households navigate through the uncertainty of COVID, it is important to include urban planning as a scheme for controlling the spread as well as maintaining the success of the community and the well being of the people. Because Barcelona’s economy is heavily supported by tourism, it is important that street planning allows businesses and transportation to get back to safe levels of practice. It is just as important that the lives of those heavily affected by this occurring event are also at the foremost of importance. Because young children, older citizens, minority communities and essential workers are at high risk, it is important to designate the needs of those members and inform new planning and design systems to adapt to practices that can lead into a new way of experiencing urban streets. Circulation and sequence of shared streets add layers and experience to urban streets and if done well, can help create a more safe and satisfying environment.