DOUBLE VIEW

The urban regeneration of the Southwest Besós neighborhood in Barcelona is a challenge due to its high vulnerability levels within the metropolitan area. Despite its favorable location, this marginalized area has little economic or commercial activity and is disconnected from the city center, further worsening its neglect. The lack of proper infrastructure, public spaces, and a vibrant commercial environment contributes to its isolation. Additionally, outdated urban planning and the deterioration of housing and public spaces reflect its overall decline.

However, what was historically the periphery is now a central point of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. Currently, the neighborhood is surrounded by Las Rondas, La Gran Vía, El Fórum, the universities, and the 22@ district. The proposal takes into account the current situation of the neighborhood and, in parallel, assesses the transformation capacity of being surrounded by all the externalities of metropolitan interest mentioned. A proposal is developed at the intersection of the future Besòs metropolitan avenue (currently S.R. de Penyafort) and Cristóbal de Moura street. This involves reconfiguring two plots occupied by scattered facilities that lack a unified urban reading. The proposal consists of a new layout that combines programs of interest for the neighborhood with new programs of interest for the city and the metropolitan area. Moreover, the project’s essence is based on creating new, distinctive, and representative urban spaces as a counterpoint to the current monotonous and indifferent public spaces. The main objective is to create a new reality where local and metropolitan coexist. This is a proposal that generates a new urban catalyst for the neighborhood’s people and introduces new users who will work and live in the area. In this way, the project relies on this duality as the regenerating tool for the Southwest of Besòs and its surroundings.